Letters: Solving homelessness
East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Feb. 3. 2022
Does state have will to solve homelessness?

The definition of homeless is lack of a permanent home.

“Housing First” is based on the concept that a homeless individual’s or family’s first and primary need is to obtain stable housing, and that other issues that may affect the household can and should be addressed once housing is obtained.

According to most credible sources, the homeless population in California is about 160,000. The average rent for an apartment in California is $1,566 per month

If all unhoused individuals rented an apartment, the cost would be about $3 billion annually, about 1% of California’s $286.4 billion budget.

Here in the world’s fifth-largest economy, we could eliminate homelessness using 1% of the state budget. I think most people would support this, but does the Legislature have the political will to make it happen?

Tom Butt
Mayor, City of Richmond