Governor Gavin Newsom announced on December 19, 2025, more than $52 million in grant funding through 90 new projects to address homelessness and revitalize communities.
The Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and 2024 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) will benefit 53 counties across California, according to the statement released on December 19, 2025.
These grants will strengthen neighborhoods and ensure communities statewide can thrive, “while preserving the pride people have in the places they call home,” Governor Newsom said in the statement.
“Whether it’s housing, infrastructure, or homelessness services, we’re stepping up and standing shoulder to shoulder with local leaders to make sure they have what they need,” he said.
The CDBG funds will finance 38 projects in 20 counties and provide over 160,000 residents with enhanced sewer and street infrastructure, public facilities, and recreational opportunities, according to the statement.
An additional $14.3 million in federal funds were awarded to 52 projects in California benefiting 25 counties through the ESG, giving local governments and service providers another tool to support regional solutions to homelessness, Governor Newsom said.
Both programs were administered in the state by the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
CDBG has been an integral part in creating housing and economic opportunity in communities for over 50 years, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss said in the statement.
CDBG awards included 18 grants totaling $4.6 million for public service activities, according to the statement. These include advocacy for children in court systems, operation of shelters for survivors of domestic violence, housing and shelter navigation for individuals experiencing homelessness, support for veterans experiencing behavioral health issues, nutrition and food access for seniors, and support for food banks, transportation, and utility assistance for low- to moderate-income residents.
“The CDBG grants awarded this year will foster improved quality of life for low-income Californians in rural communities in every corner of the state,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.
The Newsom administration has been addressing the crisis of homelessness and housing with “ingenuity, seriousness, and expertise,” according to the statement.
Between 2014 and 2019, before Governor Newsom took office, unsheltered homelessness in the state jumped by nearly 37,000 people, the statement said. After Governor Newsom was sworn in, that growth has slowed, while other states have recorded “worsening trends.”
In 2024, the growth of homelessness was limited to 3%, while nationally its growth jumped by more than 18%, according to the administration. California also limited the growth of unsheltered homelessness to only 0.45%, much less than the roughly 7% increase seen across the nation.
States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois recorded higher increases both in percentage and absolute numbers, the statement added.
Newsom’s approach to tackling the issue includes:
- Addressing mental health and its impact on homeless individuals.
- Creating new avenues for those who need the help the most by updating conservatorship laws for the first time in 50 years.
- Streamlining and prioritizing the building of new housing.
- Creating shelter and support.
- Removing dangerous encampments and connecting people with support.
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Progress.
Let’s see, which state spends the most on the homeless?
And we still have increasing homeless numbers.
If that’s progress, I’ve got news for you. Throwing money around by the billions doesn’t equal progress.
BASIC – you left out the part where CA’s homeless numbers have slowed down and only increased 3% in the last year or 2 while the nation’s numbers have skyrocketed.
“homelessness grew at a higher rate in the nation (18%) than in California (3%) from 2023 to 2024, driven by a 25% jump in sheltered homeless in the US compared to 9% in California. Unsheltered population growth in the US (7%) also outpaced California (0.4%), reversing the previous decade’s trend of larger increases in California.” — https://www.ppic.org/blog/homelessness-hits-record-high-in-california-jumps-dramatically-in-rest-of-us/
So yeah, we’ve been doing something right to slow the increase in homelessness here in CA. Guess who that “we” is? Not you and your kind.
Our state’s spending is the only thing that has “skyrocketed”. That’s the synopsis. I left nothing out. You can keep your checkbook open as long as you want. Gavin likes it.
BASIC – yes, our spending may have increased, but it’s clearly helping. That’s my point.
You know, sometimes governments need to spend money to fix our problems. Kinda how it goes.
At least we’re not spending our state’s funds terrorizing tax paying immigrants because of their skin color, or lying to our populace saying we’re fighting narco terrorists while we release drug dealers from prison and attack oil tankers, or even spending billions on changing the names of things for no reason….
A LOT of waste in this country. Helping our most vulnerable people is never a waste if we want a decent society.
Doing nothing but complaining, and ignoring the progress being made, is not very smart.
California has spent between 24-37 BILLION Dollars on homelessness since Newsom took office. As a result California’s homeless population has increased. If this was the private sector he would have been fired a long time ago.
Wow, so say $30B, the state could have built 60,000 houses at $500k each. Between this waste of spending and the bullet train, Thank you Gov U-Haul !!
Gavin Newsome is a joke! Didn’t 54 million in homeless relief go unaccounted fo
r earlier this year!?! Right about time he bought new home. So what will this $52 million but him?
Her had ruined California
STACY – Newsome is not our governor, Newsom is.
As for the rest….. no idea what you’re trying to say there.
This is more disgusting fraudulent bureaucracy nonsense! Gavin lost 24 billion dollars of tax payers money for the homeless. Newsom and California democrats are literally criminal politicians who cheat elections by not requiring ID’S to vote while giving illegal aliens drivers licenses who can not even read english.While subverting democracy along with wanting to castrate your son’s. Newsom shockingly said he wants to see trans kids. Newsom is evil.
Typical ignorant magat rant, devoid of facts.
This article reminds me of all the different times large amounts of funding in the form of grants were awarded to counties. Only to find out the awarded grants went to a majority of outside corporations and so called nonprofits , that already did not need money , or were already established from previous grants. This is not a problem, unless the accountability of these entities is not monitored(which is very easy to get away with). This uses up a large portion of grants money to already failing entities and leaves little money left for new programs to get off the ground. It is also extremely easy for local governments to misappropriate funds to thier liking. Including, projects that have nothing to do with grant regulations (because there are really no regulations), and very real nepotism involved.
This kind of open ended, non regulated, no accountability, moneys’ find there way onto a growing list of agencies that have already been shown by independent State Accounting professionals to be open to wide spread fraud , as well as, not gettingbto the people it was intended to provide relief for. Administration fees, infrastructure non compliance, for profit and non profit salary abuse, erc.
These grants can do enormous good in so many ways. But, it is really a matter of which counties run thier counties properly, with proven outcomes, accountability, diversity in services, strict accounting and good business/government practices!
Ask yourself when reading these comments:
Why are all these con rants with different monikers displaying the same set of language errors and imaginary misdeeds?
Happy Festivus, all you right wing sociopathic grinches.