Gavin Newsom helps clean a homeless encampment alongside a freeway in San Diego. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. 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. Jason Elliott with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Lt. Gov. CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. Jason Elliott Senior Counselor & Director of Intergovernmental Affairs EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Sepi Esfahlani Assistant Director, External Affairs Elmy Bermejo . 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. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, said the governor's "hope and expectation is that this will be going out in short order." However, he added that the ball was in the court of . Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Newsom's gubernatorial campaign. CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Californian essential, nonpartisan information. 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? And at that point, we were modeling a 56% attack rate for the virus, meaning that we expected 56% of Californians would get coronavirus at some point during the outbreak. We need people to enroll. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. 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. They cant take whats happening in encampments and tents.. But nowhere near the levels that I mentioned to you a moment ago we were fearing would come to pass. Contact. We have lost people back to the streets out of Project Roomkey. . Health | Which is why we need the private sector to do what it does, which is to build housing.. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. Im not going to take anybodys vote for granted, but I think with my caucus, and I think this is a bipartisan issue, everybody agrees that we need more tools in the toolbox in order to reach those who so desperately need our help.. Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more aggressive. We dont have a concrete number, but you could assume we produce as a state maybe between 2,000 and 5,000 units of permanent housing in any given year. More by Manuela Tobias, Jason Elliott, Gov. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. So when you do all that math, youre looking at about 25,000 homeless people losing their lives from coronavirus. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters. With a budget surplus bonanza, Gov. Because CARE Court will harm Californians with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, and involved in the criminal legal system, we cannot support this proposal., Cynthia Castillo, a policy advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said Newsoms plan seems to be expanding the bureaucracy of homelessness services.. My favorite part of the job is when we get together in a room and theres just this unsolvable, complicated problem, and you get to just dive into it and unpack it piece by piece and try to help solve the unsolvable. From 2006 to 2010, she served four administrations in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Gov. Callahan served as the Chief Executive Officer of the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. 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. In high school and for part of college, Elliott dreamed of becoming a journalist. We expected to have hard conversations with entrenched stakeholders.. AB 2830 was originally scheduled to be heard this week by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, but the hearing is now set for next week, similar to plans for its companion measure, Senate Bill 1338. 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. Mayors of some of the states most populous cities have endorsed the plan as a way to alleviate a humanitarian crisis in full display on their streets. Hes also been a chief deputy cabinet secretary, director of intergovernmental affairs, senior adviser, and more. Yes, it has. Homekey was able to produce 6,000 units in six months, at a third of the cost, in about a fifth of the amount of time it typically takes. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Were putting out more homeless housing through this program than we probably do in several years under normal circumstances. Ive been really encouraged by the warm embrace of local leaders on Homekey. So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? Stay up to date on the news you need to know. Health | Newsom has not provided a price tag for how much CARE Court could cost, but it would likely be paid for with a portion of the projected $14 billion he wants to spend on addressing homelessness over the next several years. The CARE Court proposal promises behavioral health treatment, medication and a housing plan as tools to stabilize participants who struggle with addiction and untreated psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, for up to two years. 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Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? Our message to LA and the Bay Area and to everyone is: Project Roomkey is here and funded at least through September of this year, with 100% of the cost borne by the federal government. Elliott has worked in government his whole career, and he met his wife in Gavin Newsoms administration, when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco. Elliott was joined on the virtual panel, moderated by CalMatters, by Jennifer Svec, legislative advocate for the California Association of Realtors; Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from the East Bay; and Adam Fowler, research director at Beacon Economics, all of whom agreed that a supply shortage waslargely responsible for ballooning home prices. UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms Are sale-leasebacks still a viable option? Elliott: The job of a chief of staff is to implement the vision of the mayor that he or she works for. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said the issue is a high priority for her members, and appeared open to the idea of the proposal being worked out through the budget. We start with no. We need people to enroll. We started with a lot of ideas. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? Most recently,Seeman servedas deputy legislative secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., where he advised on matters related to criminal justice, law enforcement, corrections and the judiciary. Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? 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. In response, Jason Elliott, Newsom's top advisor on homelessness, said "every effort would be made to get them indoors." . The governors new plan to create a court-ordered treatment effort is being sharply criticized by anti-poverty groups and civil libertarians. the free daily newsletter about California politics from the editors of Capitol Weekly. Castillo said the anti-poverty group will remain opposed to the CARE Court framework unless lawmakers address the concerns outlined in the letter, especially the plans failure to address access to housing and its insistence on empowering judges to mandate care. Jason Elliott Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. He comes from a family committed to public service. He also pledged swift action in the coming weeks to finalize the proposal and move it through the Legislature. Housing | Sign up for our daily newsletter. 4. State Sen. Susan Eggman, a Stockton Democrat and one of the authors of Senate Bill 1338, said she was optimistic that CARE Court would initiate greater oversight in the mental health system and help those most in need through early interventions. Honestly sometimes when something is working, you dont tinker with it. 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 . That's how many homes the Legislature has mandated California cities to plan for by 2030, and Newsom's team is making sure they do. Her stories focus on CARE Court is intended to be a voluntary program, and each plan would come with a public defender and a personal advocate as part of a client-centered approach. So theres something about continuity that underpinned how we moved forward through those next few days. 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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. Thats goal number one.. Receive a free briefing on your state every day. Dee Dee Myers, another . That was the challenge we were facing. The State Building and Construction Trades Council has pushed to include a requirement in housing bills that would force the new units to be built with union labor. Emily Swide, 25, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director of Schedulingfor the Governor. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. 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 withan additional $2.6 billion from the federal government. Are we doing much better than previous models? Ive been really encouraged by the warm embrace of local leaders on Homekey. Governor Newsom had previously announcedAna J.Matosantosas Cabinet Secretary,Jason Elliott as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Executive Branch Operations, and Angie Wei as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Policy Development. Housing policy advocates described Newsom's stated goal of 3.5 million new homes in four years the same way he has: aspirational. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Gavin Newsom. 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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. A governors signature does not build new units, he said. Swide is a Democrat. I will be reviewing the legislation very closely and recommending any amendments necessary to ensure that CARE Courts can truly help those most in need, while not unduly limiting their constitutionally guaranteed rights, he wrote. So when you do all that math, youre looking at about 25,000 homeless people losing their lives from coronavirus. A governors signature does not build new units, he said. His grandfather was in the State Department. 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. What was the most difficult thing about navigating that? and we're trying to keep up and make sure that we can keep up with protecting Californians," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior adviser. Gov. Jason Elliott is a Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom based in Washington, D.C., District of Columbia. What could reparations mean for Black residents of Alameda County? After announcing the broad framework of his CARE Court plan, the real work begins for Gov. LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday Hironakahas most recently served as Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Now, a little over a month into Mayor London Breeds term, Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Lt. Gov. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. But you dont practice for that. As a result, the state has announced it will simplify the process toget more money out the door faster. I think everyone thinks this is the year to really get things done, she said. Can Newsom build on pandemic lessons to end homelessness? What have you been trying to pass on to the people who are now going to come after you? And that is great, but if you keep doing these interim housing solutions, you are not solving homelessness for them, you are hiding them.. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. A: Thats a great question and I wish I had a more straightforward answer for you. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. Despite new state law, Antioch ends remote option for council meetings SonyaLogman, 30,of Antelope, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. Gavin Newsom. 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. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? During apanel discussion hosted by Capitol Weeklyon Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Richard was also Legislative Director for Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and served as a Legislative Consultant for the California State Senate Insurance and Budget and Fiscal Review Committees. Elliott spoke with this news organization about those programs, how they started, and where we go from here. But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. Newsom included $3 billion in the budget last year to increase behavioral health housing by 22,000 treatment beds, and proposed another $1.5 billion this year to bump that number up to 33,000. We couldnt control the outcome of the mayoral election, and my advice to staff and department heads was: Dont try to do that. And it aimed to protect some of the most vulnerable Californians from a disease that we didnt know anything about. Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor, will move into the deputy chief of staff role. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. The mayor of San Francisco cannot possibly be involved in every decision that gets made across our 60 departments, from the airport to the zoo. "Before we can reach our stretch goals, before you can reach the moon, you've got to get off the launch pad," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Yes, it has. 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. Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters In summary 2. She graduated from American University with a BA degree in literature with a minor in journalism. Read More. Theyre just exhausted, Newsom said during the KQED interview. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. The Newsom administration says the excess land plan will help offset shelter costs for cities and counties at least, those willing to seek the help. 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? Put that in context how big a deal is that in a state that for decades has struggled to build enough housing? We'll send you the top local news stories every morning at 8 a.m. By clicking subscribe, you agree to share your email address with Times of San Diego to receive our free newsletter and breaking news alerts. Titles are always hard to figure out in the Newsom administration, and nowhere is that truer than with Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to the governor. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. DeBoo joined. Getting cities and counties to say yes to housing is a long battle in California. Newsom, wrapping up his week . Were heading down the same path here, Elliott said. To fundamentally alter the reality that we see on the streets requires us fundamentally altering our approach. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. Some other highlights from the discussion: On home prices, Svec refrained from calling Californias housing market a bubble. She expects the housing market will remain much more stable this time around than after the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and doesnt expect prices to drop anytime soon. Jason Elliott, Gov. And they want more clarity around the role of the supporter, who they said would serve more as court agents than personal advocates. But the advocates are concerned about more than the courts and housing. Q: As a result of Homekey, the state has added more than 6,000 new long-term housing units in less than six months. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. How California used COVID to create housing. Today, he announced: Jamie Callahan, 33, of Sacramento,has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Jason Elliott, Gov. He hasnt had a day off in months. And making sure as the city was grieving, as we personally were grieving, that people getting up the next morning could go and get on Muni, and if they called 911 that the police would show up, and if they wanted to go to the park, that the park would be open. He spearheaded two programs that together wound up being one of the states biggest feats during the unprecedented pandemic. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. "Sometimes people return to the streets, sometimes they return to . hV[k0+eeJ!l>;h\aaK:}>>Z -A Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? "x|.gpr9w5+9VD34[1d3 k=D.$Y+P&@H)1IPv&cN}`r=(s6hYp4r>]dV>:pvV5R"F-"0%4X=?>RYQ;:h]"{A'`MW;J 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. California's gas tax is 51.1 cents per gallon, the second highest in the nation. Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. hbbd```b``Z""H>UD>&jH`AH2::30m\ No, of course not. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. 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.. We want to move, and we want to move quickly, Newsom said during a recent interview on KQED. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. So, in the course of just a few months you had three different mayors that you served as chief of staff. So our responsibility now as a state is to continue to put fuel in the tank of this solution. This is a part-time position and does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation $81,897. Between working on the states pandemic response seven days a week and raising a baby, theres very little time to do anything else.Related Articles So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? View Jason Elliott's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Yes, it has. Housing | Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? And in this case, Homekey works. Sign up for The Roundup, Gov. Not every participant would need to be homeless to qualify, but the Newsom administration expects CARE Court could help thousands of people who have spent years living without a home, as well as those cycling in and out of jails and hospitals. The Bay Area has pulled together in a very interesting way and focused very much on prevention and stability, which is really good. Housing | 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. Sabelhaus is a Democrat. 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. 4. Elliott said that the governor remains committed to the principles of housing first and that CARE Court would be one of many ways a person could access shelter. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. A central component of CARE Court is accountability, which Newsom said will drive results. 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? But the bottom line is that he tackles difficult issues and advises the governor on how to respond, and his portfolio is expanding exponentially. YL 8u8JpC Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. Housing | We have the wrong reflex around housing in the state. And that can mean big vision things, and it also means the day-to-day of running a city. Elliott: I think the most challenging part was trying to take the mayors staff and key department heads and insulate them from the political turmoil that was happening inside City Hall and around the city. Many affordable housing developers argue there just isnt the available workforce so that mandate would only increase the cost of construction. LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases 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. A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom. And its not something you ever picture doing. Newsom dissed local applicants for seeming too complacent about a dire California problem, while the applicants retorted that the Newsom administration sent conflicting signals and that in any case, state lawmakers had inadvertently given them a financial motive to lowball their goals. We started with a lot of ideas. Jason has 5 jobs listed on their profile. Opinion: Newsoms budget cuts threaten public health investment This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,404. 22 0 obj <> endobj 40 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<5AA7A98AB171764DBDDEB77ECF4D108A>]/Index[22 34]/Info 21 0 R/Length 99/Prev 82140/Root 23 0 R/Size 56/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream