California Gov. Gavin Newsom touted two consecutive years of declining homelessness, citing a 7.3% drop in unsheltered homelessness. However, his announcement drew criticism on X from commenters questioning the reported progress. Some challenged his figures, while others pointed to continued homelessness across the state despite the reported improvements.
In a video circulating on X, Newsom contrasted California’s reported declines with rising homelessness across the United States. He highlighted double-digit increases in unsheltered homelessness in several major cities. Meanwhile, he described California’s consecutive reductions as a milestone no governor had achieved in decades.
The latest reduction, he said, built on last year’s decline and brought unsheltered homelessness slightly below its 2019 level. However, Newsom acknowledged that the state still had more work to do. “I know that’s not good enough,” he said. Nevertheless, he argued that California’s expanded support efforts were beginning to produce results. He maintained that the state was “finally in the right direction” after decades of struggling with homelessness.
Gavin Newsom Faces Criticism Over California Homelessness Decline
The announcement drew sharp scrutiny on X, with responses questioning the reported progress, the figures behind it, and government spending.
“We have eyes, Gavin. You’re quite obviously lying,” one user wrote. Another questioned the significance of the decline, stating, “Easy to claim progress when you’ve made the problem so big.”
Describing conditions in Los Angeles, another wrote, “I live in LA and I see more homeless than less.”
Others focused on how California measures homelessness. “What does unsheltered homelessness mean? Is it different from homelessness” one person asked.
Another questioned the accuracy of the figures, stating, “Counts for homeless are done one night a year, so the numbers are highly inaccurate based upon a number of factors.”
A separate response raised questions about government spending, asking, “Where did the money allocated for homeless go?”
Newsom did not provide a total statewide homelessness figure during his remarks. Whether the recent decline in unsheltered homelessness reflects broader progress remains a point of contention.
