Bill Text: CA AB2338 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Statewide Homelessness Coordinator.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2024-08-15 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2338 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2338-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 04, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2338

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Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

February 12, 2024

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An act to amend Section 65660 of the Government Code, relating to land use. add Chapter 1.3 (commencing with Section 12095) to Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to homelessness.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2338, as amended, Jones-Sawyer. Low Barrier Navigation Centers. Statewide Homelessness Coordinator.

Existing law establishes various programs to address homelessness, including requiring the Governor to create an Interagency Council on Homelessness. Existing law requires the council to, among other things, identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California and promote systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

This bill would require the Governor to appoint a Statewide Homelessness Coordinator, within the Governor’s office, to serve as the lead person for ending homelessness in California.

This bill would require the coordinator to perform prescribed duties, including, among others, identifying a local leader in each relevant city, county, city and county, or other jurisdiction to serve as a liaison between the coordinator and that jurisdiction, overseeing homelessness programs, services, data, and policies between federal, state, and local agencies, coordinating the timing of release of funds and applications for funding for housing and housing-based services impacting Californians experiencing homelessness, and, in collaboration with local leaders, providing annual recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor, as specified.

This bill would authorize the coordinator to adjust state goals to the extent allowed by state law.

The Planning and Zoning Law, until January 1, 2027, imposes specified duties on local jurisdictions with respect to the development of a Low Barrier Navigation Center, which is defined as a Housing First, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. Existing law defines various terms for these purposes.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these definitions.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Chapter 1.3 (commencing with Section 12095) is added to Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:

CHAPTER  1.3. Statewide Homelessness Coordinator

12095.

 (a) (1) The Governor shall appoint a Statewide Homelessness Coordinator, within the Governor’s office, to serve as the lead person for ending homelessness in California.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, “coordinator” means the Statewide Homelessness Coordinator.

(b) The coordinator shall do all of the following:

(1) Set state goals to end homelessness in California.

(2) Identify a local leader in each relevant city, county, city and county, or other jurisdiction to serve as a liaison between the coordinator and that jurisdiction.

(3) Oversee homelessness programs, services, data, and policies between federal, state, and local agencies.

(4) Coordinate the timing of release of state funds and applications for funding for housing and housing-based services impacting Californians experiencing homelessness.

(5) In collaboration with local leaders, provide annual recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor.

(c) The coordinator may adjust state goals to the extent allowed by state law.

(d) The coordinator shall submit each of the annual recommendations to the Legislature in compliance with Section 9795.

SECTION 1.Section 65660 of the Government Code is amended to read:

65660.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

(a)“Low Barrier Navigation Center” means a Housing First, low-barrier, service-enriched shelter focused on moving people into permanent housing that provides temporary living facilities while case managers connect individuals experiencing homelessness to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. “Low Barrier” means best practices to reduce barriers to entry, and may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(1)The presence of partners if it is not a population-specific site, such as for survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault, women, or youth.

(2)Pets.

(3)The storage of possessions.

(4)Privacy, such as partitions around beds in a dormitory setting or in larger rooms containing more than two beds, or private rooms.

(b)“Use by right” has the meaning defined in subdivision (i) of Section 65583.2. Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code shall not apply to actions taken by a public agency to lease, convey, or encumber land owned by a public agency, to facilitate the lease, conveyance, or encumbrance of land owned by a public agency, or to provide financial assistance to, or otherwise approve, a Low Barrier Navigation Center constructed or allowed by this section.