By Antonio Ray Harvey | California Black Media
In late March 2026, a bipartisan group of mayors representing California’s 13 largest cities traveled to Sacramento to urge state leaders to replenish and sustain funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program.
The HHAP program is scheduled to be reduced to $500 million for the 2026-27 fiscal year. The decrease represents a 50% cut from previous funding levels, which typically reached $1 billion annually in the state budget.
Led by Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, the mayoral coalition included Kevin McCarty (Sacramento), Todd Gloria (San Diego), Ashleigh Aitken (Anaheim), Barbara Lee (Oakland), Christina Fugazi (Stockton), Matt Mahan (San Jose), Mayor Rex Richardson (Long Beach) and Mayor Larry Agran (Irvine).
Mayors are urging state leaders in both the Legislature and the executive branch to restore homelessness funding to $1 billion and make that level a permanent annual commitment.
The state reported a 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness in 2025, a figure Governor Gavin Newsom has cited as evidence of progress.
“These cuts put critical programs and real progress at risk, sending a message that reducing homelessness is no longer a priority for the state,” said Lock-Dawson, the mayor of Riverside. “So, without action by the legislature, our 13 cities will see a loss of 6,000 shelter beds and 41,000 Californians at risk of returning to homelessness. Let’s be clear, HHAP works, and it’s been working.”
All of the mayors shared stories about the challenges they are facing and the progress being made in their cities to tackle the unhoused crisis that is driven, in part, by a combination of rising rents, income loss, and evictions, which are exacerbated by behavioral health challenges.
While state data show a 9% reduction in overall unsheltered homelessness in 2025, racial disparities still remain high, especially in Black communities in all major California cities.
Racial disparities persist in who experiences homelessness
In Northern California, Black or African American residents make up about 22% of Oakland’s population of roughly 440,646. However, they account for 52.5% of the city’s total homeless population, 47.9% of those who are unsheltered, and 59% of individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time.
A considerable portion of the homeless population in Oakland is African American men. The high rate is often attributed to displacement, eviction, and the lingering economic effects of foreclosure crises.
In August 2025, Lee announced the opening of the Office of Homelessness Solutions to centralize and streamline the city’s response to its homelessness crisis. The office is spread across different departments, including encampment management, emergency shelters, and permanent housing.
Lee, who won the special election for the seat in April 2025, said a decrease in the state’s funding could dramatically cut the city’s effort to reduce unsheltered homelessness in Oakland by 50% over the next five years.
“Fifty percent is not enough for me, personally, but achieving that in Oakland requires a racial equity approach at every single level of government through our programs that prevent homelessness and create more housing opportunities,” Lee said. “I can’t accomplish any of this without HHAP funding.”
Be the first to comment