Bill Text: CA SB48 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Low Barrier Navigation Center developments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB48 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB48-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 48

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Introduced by Senator Wiener

December 03, 2018

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An act relating to homelessness.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 48, as introduced, Wiener. Homelessness: right to shelter.

Existing law establishes various entities and programs to provide assistance to homeless persons, including, among others, the Homeless Emergency Aid Program, the Emergency Housing and Assistance Program, the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program, homeless youth emergency service pilot projects, and the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that creates a right to shelter for unhoused residents throughout the state, which would be required to include the navigation center model. The bill would state the purposes of this legislation, including ensuring that every person living on California’s streets has the ability to promptly secure shelter that is safe and supportive. The bill would specify certain elements that this right to shelter would include. The bill would specify that the right to shelter is not intended to be in lieu of prioritizing permanent housing for people who lack housing.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation creating a “right to shelter” for unhoused residents throughout the state, which shall include the model known as navigation centers.

(a) The purposes of the legislation will be:

(1) To ensure that every person living on California’s streets has the ability to promptly secure shelter that is safe and supportive, with the ultimate goal of homeless residents accessing supportive or permanent housing.

(2) To ensure that all communities provide their homeless residents with shelters, rather than forcing their residents to move to other communities to obtain shelter.

(3) To allow homeless residents to access the services they need to succeed and obtain permanent housing, including mental health, addiction treatment, and other services.

(b) The right to shelter shall include:

(1) A safe place to sleep and keep one’s belongings.

(2) An ability to access the shelter without having to sign up on a daily basis.

(3) An ability to remain with one’s partner.

(4) An ability to access services necessary to stabilize one’s life and transition into supportive housing or permanent housing, including mental health, addiction treatment, and other services.

(c) The Legislature does not intend that the right to shelter will be in lieu of prioritizing permanent housing for people who lack housing. Permanent housing is the goal and priority. Shelter is critically important in providing people with safe and healthy transitional living space until they can obtain permanent housing.

(d) The Legislature does not intend for the right to shelter to replace or undermine local efforts to place homeless residents in supportive or permanent housing.

(e) The Legislature recognizes that the process to create a statewide right to shelter is complicated and will require significant dialogue and budgeting decisions. The Legislature also recognizes that different communities will require the flexibility to implement the right to shelter in different ways, while adhering to basic standards.