On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a proposal for a ballot measure to fund housing for people with mental illness in California.
The plan involves issuing bonds to raise up to $5 billion to construct campus-like facilities, including apartment complexes with on-site treatment facilities and "cottage settings" with outside services, as well as long-term supportive housing.
The funds will also be used to construct permanent housing for homeless individuals suffering from mental illness.
The proposal represents a shift from past reforms, which have been criticized for failing to provide adequate support to mental health patients. Homelessness and mental health are closely related, with 21% of homeless individuals reporting serious mental illness compared to 5% in the general US population.
California has the highest rate of homelessness in the US, with an estimated 8,000 homeless people in San Francisco alone. Newsom has made addressing homelessness a priority since taking office in 2019, proposing initiatives to increase housing and services for homeless people.
The issue is personal for Newsom, who has lost loved ones to suicide and notes that social isolation is a leading cause of death in America. The announcement has received praise from Rafael Mandelman, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
