So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? We are not batting 1,000. So when you do all that math, youre looking at about 25,000 homeless people losing their lives from coronavirus. Housing | Getting cities and counties to say yes to housing is a long battle in California. Katie Talbot, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), said the idea would need to go through the policy committee process.. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Certainly there have been outbreaks on Skid Row, certainly there have been outbreaks in some of the homeless facilities in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. Two Democrats have already introduced a bill that parallels the governors proposal. Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? Elliott spoke with this news organization about those programs, how they started, and where we go from here. To move the needle, Elliott pitched the statewide Housing Accountability Unit, which Newsomproposed in his January budget. Jason Elliott with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Lt. Gov. 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Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Newsom's gubernatorial campaign. LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday This is a part-time position and does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation $81,897. On the eviction moratorium, Wicks said she was working closely with Assemblymember David Chius office to make sure tenants are protected but landlords receive missed back rent. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? Hopefully were starting to see more economic recovery coming out of COVID, although I do think its going to be a very uneven recovery, she said. By clicking subscribe, you agree to the Terms. 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Its just not something you ever want to do. We need people to enroll. Some were practical and some were impossible. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Stay in touch. YL 8u8JpC Because CARE Court will harm Californians with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, and involved in the criminal legal system, we cannot support this proposal., Cynthia Castillo, a policy advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said Newsoms plan seems to be expanding the bureaucracy of homelessness services.. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this. And it aimed to protect some of the most vulnerable Californians from a disease that we didnt know anything about. Q: How did the impact of the pandemic, and the response, differ in the states two regions with the worst homelessness crises the Bay Area, and Los Angeles? Want to see more stories like this? To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. 3. Elliott said he was watching with glee the Biden administrations $5 billion proposal as part of his infrastructure plan to encourage local governments to end exclusionary zoning and other practices. 22 0 obj <> endobj 40 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<5AA7A98AB171764DBDDEB77ECF4D108A>]/Index[22 34]/Info 21 0 R/Length 99/Prev 82140/Root 23 0 R/Size 56/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Jason Elliott, 36, of Sacramento, is now serving as senior counselor to the Governor for housing and homelessness in the Office of the Governor, where he has served as chief deputy cabinet secretary. The answer is yes. A central component of CARE Court is accountability, which Newsom said will drive results. So I hopped in my car, drove over to Mather where OES is, and went into a conference room where the governor, Ann and a few others were, and sort of started at that point to realize how fundamentally this was going to change everything. The big takeaway: California is millions of housing units short, and cities hold the key. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Stay up to date on the news you need to know. But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. The governors new plan to create a court-ordered treatment effort is being sharply criticized by anti-poverty groups and civil libertarians. Elliott said he was watching with glee the Biden administrations $5 billion proposal as part of his infrastructure planto encourage local governments to end exclusionary zoningand other practices. Put that in context how big a deal is that in a state that for decades has struggled to build enough housing? Jason Elliott Senior Counselor & Director of Intergovernmental Affairs EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Sepi Esfahlani Assistant Director, External Affairs Elmy Bermejo . SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Californias governor is fast-tracking a plan to compel people into court-ordered treatment, but a lot of details are still in question. He also emphasized that just as important as passing new legislation is implementing laws already on the books. Hironaka is a Democrat. Its a new day, new paradigm, and we are looking forward to getting something big done.. Housing policy advocates described Newsom's stated goal of 3.5 million new homes in four years the same way he has: aspirational. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? 4. 2. CARE Court is meant to target the 10,000 to 12,000 people dealing with schizophrenia and psychosis who may qualify for the program, said Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to Newsom. Tell me about that transition and sort of what your role has been. Honestly sometimes when something is working, you dont tinker with it. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? Were coming up with a completely new paradigm, a new approach, a different pathway, and its consistent with our values, Newsom said earlier this month when he announced the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Mayoral candidate and Councilman Kevin de Len wants the city to withdraw from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Theyre just exhausted, Newsom said during the KQED interview. But the question is are we doing better than previous models? California has about 30,000 to 35,000 shelter beds on any given night, almost all of which are filled. Newsom proposes plan to help homeless Californians with severe psychiatric, substance abuse and addiction issues get into housing and treatment. Receive a free briefing on your state every day. Which is why we need the private sector to do what it does, which is to build housing.. 1. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution We dont have a concrete number, but you could assume we produce as a state maybe between 2,000 and 5,000 units of permanent housing in any given year. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. Healso worked for the California Air Resources Board(CARB)onlegislation relating climate. But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. No, of course not. And the type of housing available is just as important as how much of it there is, said L.A. Family Housing President and CEO Stephanie Klasky-Gamer. Please contact CalMatters with any commentary questions: commentary@calmatters.org. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. A: I will point you to the governors budget proposal: $1.75 billion. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. View Jason Elliott's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. I think everyone thinks this is the year to really get things done, she said. CARE Court is not the appropriate tool for providing a path to wellness for Californians living with mental health disabilities who face homelessness, incarceration, hospitalization, conservatorship, and premature death, the letter states. LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases, How California used COVID-19 to create housing;, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), How California used COVID-19 to create housing; a top Newsom adviser weighs in, Pasadena to terminate local COVID-19 orders this month, LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday, As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution, UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms, LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases. Hopefully were starting to see more economic recovery coming out of COVID, although I do think its going to be a very uneven recovery, she said. The program would allow family members, behavioral health providers and first responders to ask civil court judges to order a clinical evaluation and, if necessary, implement a plan for a person in need. The policy differences? The groups often have significant sway among liberal legislative Democrats, the kind of influence that could hinder Newsoms hopes for a new law to be in place by July 1. For all we knew, this was going to happen in a matter of weeks. Homekey was able to produce 6,000 units in six months, at a third of the cost, in about a fifth of the amount of time it typically takes. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases What could reparations mean for Black residents of Alameda County? We are adding judges and attorneys into the mix in hopes of better connecting unhoused individuals with housing and medical care, but nothing else really changes, she said. Certainly there have been outbreaks on Skid Row, certainly there have been outbreaks in some of the homeless facilities in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. "Sometimes people return to the streets, sometimes they return to . He hasnt had a day off in months. Because for every person you bring inside, thats a person who has a sister whos worried about her. We couldnt control the outcome of the mayoral election, and my advice to staff and department heads was: Dont try to do that. Oakland airport passenger traffic shows steady post-COVID rebound We are using the states money to invest in one of the states top priorities homelessness. A:I dont want to leave your readers with the impression that Project Roomkey is going to once and for all solve homelessness in California, because its not. And that was not its intention. He is married to Nicole Elliott, director of the state Department of Cannabis Control. Elliott sat down for an exit interview with KQED politics reporter Marisa Lagos. Six weeks after Gov. He highlighted$12 billion in the governors budget proposalfor housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. It's scheduled to increase slightly for inflation on July 1. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. A: I remember it was a Sunday afternoon and I was walking my dog and I got a call from our then chief of staff Ann OLeary and she said I need you at (the Office of Emergency Services) right now. Logmanwas most recently the Deputy Secretary for Business and Consumer Relations atthe CaliforniaBusiness, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Yes, it has. Were heading down the same path here, Elliott said. Health | You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. In their 14-page letter, the advocates blasted the proposal as involuntary and coercive treatment that would strip individuals of their personal liberties and perpetuate institutional racism and worsen health disparities. They said CARE Court flies in the face of any evidence-based approach to ending homelessness because it prioritizes mental health services not housing as the initial step toward recovery, which they said would deviate from Californias housing first principles. Thats goal number one.. Prior to working for Governor Brown,he served as a legislative consultant to State Senator Mark Leno, working on criminal justice issues, as well as privacy and technology. 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Most recently, she served as Director of Scheduling and Advancefor Governor-elect Newsoms Transition and the Newsom for Governor campaign. Are sale-leasebacks still a viable option? Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor Gavin Newsom Greater . This is a very small segment of the population. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Swide is a Democrat. One example: a 2013 law designed toincrease infill developmentin green zones, which Elliott said could potentially allow for millions of housing units to be built. Gov. We are using the states money to invest in one of the states top priorities homelessness. Now, a little over a month into Mayor London Breeds term, Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Lt. Gov. Elliott, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University, has been with Newsom for years, working for him when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco and lieutenant governor. The big takeaway: California is millions of. Instead, the governor plans to increase . In response, Fowler agreed that California, like the rest of the country, faces a severe shortage of labor, union or otherwise. But with so many other cost drivers such as skyrocketing lumber prices wages arent the problem. Which is why we need the private sector to do what it does, which is to build housing.. She started her journalism career reporting on crime and breaking news for The News-Press in Southwest Florida. Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor, will move into the deputy chief of staff role. Despite new state law, Antioch ends remote option for council meetings 3. My favorite part of the job is when we get together in a room and theres just this unsolvable, complicated problem, and you get to just dive into it and unpack it piece by piece and try to help solve the unsolvable. She also served as a legislative assistant in the Office of State Senator Mark Leno, and as acapital fellow in the Office of State Senator Denise MorenoDucheny. Support for Capitol Weekly is Provided by: Jason Elliot. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. Yes, it has. But the bill may face a major hurdle once its heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Jason Elliott is the top housing adviser to Gov. That has not happened here, the letter says. Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Q: Describe what it was like in the governors office when the pandemic hit and you realized we could be dealing with a potentially devastating health crisis for our homeless population? Sabelhaus is a Democrat. Gavin Newsom, Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto, Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old daughter, Prior job: Chief of staff to San Francisco Mayors Ed Lee and London Breed, and policy director for Newsom when he was mayor. Gov. She graduated from American University with a BA degree in literature with a minor in journalism. Voters have given Newsom poor reviews on efforts to stem the homelessness crisis, which is sure to come up in his opponents campaigns to block his reelection later this year. As health officials scrambled last March with shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jason Elliott wastacklinganother seemingly overwhelming problem: How do we keep the more than 100,000 Californians sleeping on our streets from dying of the virus? Elliott was joined on the virtual panel, moderated by CalMatters, by Jennifer Svec, legislative advocate for the California Association of Realtors; Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from the East Bay; and Adam Fowler, research director at Beacon Economics, all of whom agreed that a supply shortage waslargely responsible for ballooning home prices. We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Newsom included $3 billion in the budget last year to increase behavioral health housing by 22,000 treatment beds, and proposed another $1.5 billion this year to bump that number up to 33,000. Callahan served as the Chief Executive Officer of the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. Housing | But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. The answer is yes. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. We have exploded in bringing more interim housing beds online. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The Bay Area has pulled together in a very interesting way and focused very much on prevention and stability, which is really good. Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. The big takeaway: California is millions of housing units short, and cities hold the key. Im not going to take anybodys vote for granted, but I think with my caucus, and I think this is a bipartisan issue, everybody agrees that we need more tools in the toolbox in order to reach those who so desperately need our help.. Between working on the states pandemic response seven days a week and raising a baby, theres very little time to do anything else.Related Articles Through Project Roomkey, we increased the amount of shelter available in California by 50%, effectively overnight. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor. Under the proposal, family members, behavioral health care providers and first responders, among others, could petition a civil judge to initiate a CARE plan for eligible individuals who lack medical decision-making capacity. Newsom dissed local applicants for seeming too complacent about a dire California problem, while the applicants retorted that the Newsom administration sent conflicting signals and that in any case, state lawmakers had inadvertently given them a financial motive to lowball their goals. Are we doing much better than previous models? This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? contributed to the housing crisis in California and its With this $1.75 billion (the governor proposed spending $1.75 billion on homeless housing, including $750 million to continue Homekey) we want to create this momentum behind Homekey and not have it be a one-time thing. potential He hasnt had a day off in months. Gavin Newsom. Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, including Senate Bill 9, which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. That was the challenge we were facing. (Courtesy of Jason Elliott) Jason Elliott had been chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for only about six months when he got the call last December that Lee was in the hospital. Please reload the page and try again. Q: Describe what it was like in the governors office when the pandemic hit and you realized we could be dealing with a potentially devastating health crisis for our homeless population? Gavin Newsom Age: 37 Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto Current home: Sacramento Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old. Its a part of the population that has been suffering and languishing for so long, many of whom have been on the streets for literally years and years and some decades and at great peril to themselves, Sherin said. And in this case, Homekey works. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. LZe$h#0m1Nx@,Z@XO"F"K"]w8|qWWhh\6^i Gavin Newsoms gubernatorial campaign. Jason Elliott is a Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom based in Washington, D.C., District of Columbia. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. The program would be voluntary and include assistance from both a public defender and a so-called supporter, a person who would serve as a personal guide through the recovery process. So, in the course of just a few months you had three different mayors that you served as chief of staff. Governor Newsom had previously announced Ana J. Matosantos as Cabinet Secretary, Jason Elliott as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Executive Branch Operations, and Angie Wei as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Policy Development.