China dismisses FBI statement that COVID-19 likely leaked from Wuhan lab Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. During a panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly on Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. Housing | The state must invest in permanent affordable housing options in addition to building interim units such as tiny homes and hotel rooms, she said. So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? Newsom proposes plan to help homeless Californians with severe psychiatric, substance abuse and addiction issues get into housing and treatment. Elliott said the almost-certain recall facing Newsom later this year isnt affecting his positions on housing, either, pointing to the governors 2020 State of the State speech, where housing and homelessness took center stage. Want to see more stories like this? A, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, How California used COVID to create housing. And that is great, but if you keep doing these interim housing solutions, you are not solving homelessness for them, you are hiding them.. Two Democrats have already introduced a bill that parallels the governors proposal. Today, he announced: Jamie Callahan, 33, of Sacramento,has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. A moratorium until the end of time that doesnt provide a sufficient benefit to get people to enroll, Elliott said, trailing off. Project Roomkey was a public health emergency response to a once-in-a-century pandemic. 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? The second program,Homekey, created 6,000 units of long-term homeless housing in less than six months, by giving cities and counties the money to purchase hotels and other buildings, and expediting the permitting process. Newsoms approval hobbled by crime fears, homelessness crisis, poll finds, De Len proposes a new city department of mental and public health, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, Winter storms ease drought conditions in California, report shows, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Best coffee city in the world? But its a start, and more than California has done in a long time. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. 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? Ive been really encouraged by the warm embrace of local leaders on Homekey. A governors signature does not build new units, he said. So theres something about continuity that underpinned how we moved forward through those next few days. "Local government has a responsibility to put their hands up and be part of the solution," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Gavin Newsom's proposal to send people another round of government checks, . 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. 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. 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. Elliott sidestepped another question, about whether the administration would seek to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, which is set to end June 30, as the state doubles its rent relief funds with an additional $2.6 billion from the federal government. Related Articles Gavin Newsom helps clean a homeless encampment alongside a freeway in San Diego. Jason Elliott, Gov. Whoops! Yes, it has. Jason Elliott: So for me, nobody takes a job of chief of staff thinking youre going to be the one who has to call the president of the Board of Supervisors at 1 in the morning. CA mental health advocates criticize CARE Court homeless plan | The Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. 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. And in this case, Homekey works. Jason Elliott - Deputy Chief of Staff - Office of California Governor 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. Has the federal government embraced it and now is providing 100% reimbursement on the costs? A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. 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. Housing | If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Are we doing much better than previous models? Jason Elliott, Gov. 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. He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more. And it was one of the hardest days and some of the hardest weeks of my life, and I hope will be the hardest weeks of my life. Jason Elliott, Newsom's top housing advisor, said the governor's budget interlaces housing, cost-of-living and climate policies to simultaneously address California's top issues. Mayoral candidate and Councilman Kevin de Len wants the city to withdraw from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Sign up below, then look for a confirmation email in your inbox. He said the governor would generally support any move to change the default to yes on more housing. The big takeaway: California is millions of. We have 108,000 unsheltered homeless people in California. Housing policy advocates described Newsom's stated goal of 3.5 million new homes in four years the same way he has: aspirational. ChristineHironaka, 31, of San Francisco, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor Gavin Newsom Greater . To move the needle, Elliott pitched the statewide Housing Accountability Unit, which Newsomproposed in his January budget. California housing what does Newsom's top adviser say? - CalMatters Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. We are using the states money to invest in one of the states top priorities homelessness. 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. We believe the answer is yes, and we are in the process now of doing some program evaluation to be able to back that up with data. Lagos: London Breed became acting mayor, but she was only in that position for a couple of months before the Board of Supervisors controversially replaced her with interim Mayor Mark Farrell, and then of course London Breed got elected. We are not batting 1,000. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. His biggest challenges as we go to press are housing, homelessness and mental health care, issues that have dominated the states discussions this year, so he has his work cut out for him. We are not batting 1,000. His sister is deputy chief of staff for the mayor of New Orleans and his cousin, who he grew up with, was chief of staff for the mayor of Portland. With a key legislative deadline next week, Newsoms housing adviser speaks about the governors priorities on affordable housing. Housing | 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. Elliott hopes the Legislature will make $250 million of the $750 million available before Newsom's budget, which will be debated by the Legislature before it is implemented, goes into effect in . More by Manuela Tobias, Jason Elliott, Gov. Gavin Newsom's homeless plans rank Sacramento CA worst | The Sacramento Bee 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. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. Jason Elliott with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Lt. Gov. She previously covered startups and venture capital for the Bay Area News Group and prior to that court cases for The Recorder in San Francisco. Between working on the states pandemic response seven days a week and raising a baby, theres very little time to do anything else. %PDF-1.7 % Gov. We worked 25 hours a day to design what eventually become Project Roomkey. Because for every person you bring inside, thats a person who has a sister whos worried about her. Sending Gas Money to California Taxpayers May Aid State Budget Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis Signs Legislation to Support States COVID-19 Preparedness, PHOTOS: Governor Newsom Visits Diablo Canyon Power Plant, More Time to File State Taxes for Californians Impacted by December and January Winter Storms, Governor Newsom on Read Across America Day: While Other States Ban Books, Were Helping Students Read, Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency in 13 Counties Due to Winter Storms, Activates California Guard. Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? The panels chairman, Assembly Member Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), said in a statement that he shared many of the concerns raised by the opponents about the CARE Court bills.. Newsom touted the CARE Court framework last month as an innovative strategy to guide an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 people into housing and much-needed treatment. Getting cities and counties to say yes to housing is a long battle in California. You just let it keep rolling. With a proposed budget of $4.3 million, the unit would hold cities feet to the fire when they break existing housing law, and help them take advantage of laws already in place that streamline regulations and permits. An Update on Governor's Office Staffing for 2020 Honestly sometimes when something is working, you dont tinker with it. Three S.F. Mayors in Less Than 3 Months: Jason Elliott's Exit - KQED Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Get up to speed with our Essential California newsletter, sent six days a week. The state has struggled to get tenants and landlords to enroll in existing benefits. Hironaka is a Democrat. Many affordable housing developers argue there just isnt the available workforce so that mandate would only increase the cost of construction. A: Thats a great question and I wish I had a more straightforward answer for you. Protect your nonprofit, nonpartisan state news. Some were practical and some were impossible. 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. You know, we practice the earthquake. Jason has 5 jobs listed on their profile. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Housing | We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. But he welcomed the proposal as a move in the right direction to prioritize resources for Californias most vulnerable residents, even if the initiative involves growing pains.. Secretly, he still does. But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, includingSenate Bill 9,which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. Zoom chops nearly 200 jobs in Bay Area as tech layoffs mount Newsom Relents, Agrees to Release $1 Billion in Homelessness Funding 'The country is watching': California homeless crisis looms as Gov We started with a lot of ideas. Ive been really encouraged by the warm embrace of local leaders on Homekey. Housing | Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Newsom's gubernatorial campaign. The policy differences? Housing | We worked 25 hours a day to design what eventually become Project Roomkey. Q: As a result of Homekey, the state has added more than 6,000 new long-term housing units in less than six months. As a result, the state has announced it will simplify the process to get more money out the door faster. 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. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? Newsom's top housing adviser says 'start with yes' The Bay Area has pulled together in a very interesting way and focused very much on prevention and stability, which is really good. California's gas tax is 51.1 cents per gallon, the second highest in the nation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. 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. They cant take whats happening in encampments and tents.. hbbd```b``Z""H>UD>&jH`AH2::30m\ Through Project Roomkey, we increased the amount of shelter available in California by 50%, effectively overnight. Previously, Figueroa was Director of Prevention for The California Endowment, the nations largest state-specific health care foundation. Newsom also proposed $1.5 billion in this years budget to boost Californias behavioral health housing stock and has funneled billions more toward housing options for people experiencing homelessness. Those concerns are likely to be raised as Newsom continues to conduct roundtable discussions with stakeholders throughout the state. 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. Logmanwas most recently the Deputy Secretary for Business and Consumer Relations atthe CaliforniaBusiness, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. So our responsibility now as a state is to continue to put fuel in the tank of this solution. 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. View Jason Elliott's business profile as Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom. In the Bay Area, the median home price soared to an all-time high of $1.3 million and the statewide median home price broke $800,000 last month. He spearheaded two programs that together wound up being one of the states biggest feats during the unprecedented pandemic. As health officials scrambled last March with shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jason Elliott wastacklinganother seemingly overwhelming problem: How do we keep the more than 100,000 Californians sleeping on our streets from dying of the virus? During a panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly on Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsom's top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. (Liz Hafalia / San Francisco Chronicle) By Liam Dillon Staff Writer Dec. 21, 2020 1:23 PM PT During his 2018 campaign for. "x|.gpr9w5+9VD34[1d3 k=D.$Y+P&@H)1IPv&cN}`r=(s6hYp4r>]dV>:pvV5R"F-"0%4X=?>RYQ;:h]"{A'`MW;J But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. 2. Elliott sat down for an exit interview with KQED politics reporter Marisa Lagos. 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.