California Gov. Gavin Newsom faces backlash for untracked $20 billion worth of state homeless resources and programs. (MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images | Contributor/Mario Tama/Staff)
"What does that mean though? We spent billions of dollars, and you can't tell us at all how many people we've helped," Tang said.
Megan Kirkeby, deputy director for the California Department of Housing and Community Development, told lawmakers in the committee that the state didn't previously require them to track its progress on spending or the viability of its programs, adding it's not "something to be proud of."
CICH, the blue state's hub for coordinating the state's homeless programs, shifted blame to local cities last month in an emailed response to Fox News Digital's inquiry about the failure to track the money. A senior spokesperson said municipalities "are primarily responsible for implementing these programs and collecting data on outcomes that the state can use to evaluate program effectiveness."
As the state faces a significant budget deficit that must be worked out by a July deadline, both Republicans and Democrats in the legislature fear the audit's findings could interfere with multiple city requests for more funding to address the homeless crisis. California is ground zero for the most homeless people in the nation, with more than 181,000 people living on the streets.
LOS ANGELES IN HOT WATER FOR SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS ON WORSENING HOMELESS CRISIS
Proposition 1 adds $6 billion to California funding for homelessness. (Fox News)
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Despite billions spent on homelessness and housing programs during the 2018-2023 fiscal years, the problem didn’t improve in many cities, according to the state auditor's report. Since 2013, homelessness has jumped more than 53%.
Newsom consequently called for cities to take more rigorous steps to enforce the state's progressive housing laws. In a press conference, Newsom announced the state would expand a Department of Housing and Community Development agency to enforce compliance with laws that require cities to meet a threshold of new homes, leading to legal action against rebellious cities like Huntington Beach that have refused to increase building.
"I'm not interested in failure any longer," the governor said.
Newsom's office nor CICH responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment by time of publication.
Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.
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