Point of Opposition: $2 billion from this year’s funding is sufficient to address the issue of homelessness in California.
Explanation: Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed $2 billion to address the problem of homelessness and reduce the number of encampments on the streets of California. The government is planning to use this money to create “tiny homes and other temporary shelter options” for the homeless (“Newsom on Homelessness”). The article claims that this would be an important step to achieve a more permanent solution, acting as a “bridge” to eventually providing the homeless population with permanent housing.
While building more temporary shelters may help to lessen the negative effects of the problem, it is insufficient to introduce significant changes. First of all, compared to the funding approved last year, which amounted to $12 billion, this year’s proposition may seem inadequate. Therefore, there will still not be enough temporary shelters to provide temporary residence to all people in need. Second, these funds could be used more efficiently if they were allocated for building permanent housing and simplifying the registration process. In relation to the problem of homelessness, demand is constantly outpacing supply, and the construction of permanent housing is more likely to solve the problem of homeless people.
Although it is important that the authorities try to reduce the number of homeless people on the streets, it can be argued that the measures and steps they take to do it are not sufficient to solve the problem. For example, this year’s proposition of $2 billion may help to build a new temporary shelter, but funds could be used more efficiently if policymakers focused more on building permanent housing instead. Admittedly, that would require a complex and considerate approach; however, taking steps in this direction can prove to be a much more sustainable and farsighted solution.
Work Cited
“Newsom on Homelessness: ‘We’ve Gotta Clean Up Those Encampments’“. CalMatters. 2022. Web.