AdvertisementHis appearance in San Diego came a day after the state announced a projected $75.7-billion budget surplus, and Newsom proposed sending $600 stimulus checks to middle-income residents. San Diego County has the fifth-largest homeless population in the country, with the latest count from January 2020 finding 7,658 people in shelters or sleeping outside. The city funds three large shelters, but a count conducted by Downtown San Diego Partnership in April found 873 people still were sleeping on sidewalks or in cars on downtown streets. Newsom said last year’s $1-billion Project Homekey program created 6,000 permanent units throughout the state while a related program, Project Roomkey, provided temporary shelter to 36,000 people. AdvertisementVargas said the proposal to expand funding for more affordable housing units was welcome news in San Diego.

Source: Los Angeles Times May 11, 2021 19:29 UTC