Seeking to implement effective regional as well as local approaches to combat California’s growing homeless crisis, San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzales has joined eight other County Supervisors on the California State Association of Counties’ (CSAC) Homeless Action Team.
CSAC formed the working group in August, which also includes its First Vice President Lisa Bartlett and Immediate Past President Leticia Perez, to complement Governor Gavin Newsom’s Statewide Homeless and Supportive Housing Advisory Task Force. Viewing homelessness from the county perspective, the Homeless Action Team will help to fill the gaps, ensuring the design and execution of a greater comprehensive strategy to address the economic, social, and health challenges California communities face.
“My colleagues on the Homeless Action Team and I are equally vested in reducing homelessness in our respective counties, as well as statewide,” said Supervisor Gonzales.
“Now is the time for us to seek collaborative, comprehensive approaches that also will help us tackle the complex housing, economic, mental and physical health impacts we each face as we work to reduce our homeless populations. The Governor’s support and the recent funding allocations to address homelessness makes all of this possible,” said Gonzales.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who co-chairs Governor Newsom’s Statewide Homeless and Supportive Housing Advisory Task Force, also chairs CSAC’s Homeless Action Team. As the conduit between the Task Force and the Team, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas is ensuring that best practices, programs, and collaborative measures recommended by his fellow Supervisors will be put in place to effectually respond and threat the symptoms that trigger homelessness.
“I look forward to hearing from the other Supervisors as to what is working in other parts of the state, while also sharing our own successes,” said Supervisor Gonzales who is chair of San Bernardino County’s Interagency Council on Homelessness – a model partnership that addresses chronic homelessness.
“Homelessness does not respect jurisdictional boundaries; it is a tragedy that destroys everyone’s quality of life. It is critical that we work together to address this social ill,” she added.