Homelessness Image

Tahoe Truckee Region Homelessness Digest



Border Patrol Is Dropping Off Hundreds of Migrants at San Diego Trolley Station

02/27/2024

“Street releases” have resumed after the nonprofit that operated a migrant welcome center announced its “finite resources have been stretched to the limit.”

Guide to the California Senate Candidates' Views of Housing and Homelessness

02/26/2024

No issue matters more to Californians than housing and homelessness. Catch up on where the major Senate candidates stand on the subject.

Placer County Supervisors Pass Resolution to Oppose Proposition 1

02/14/2024

Supervisors formally opposed the March 5 statewide ballot measure that seeks voter approval of state-issued general obligation bonds to provide more housing for the homeless and increase behavioral health treatment facilities.

Feds Leave California on the Hook for $300 million in COVID Homeless Spending

02/08/2024

When Gov. Gavin Newsom launched his landmark effort to shelter homeless residents in hotels during COVID, the state and local governments were relying on FEMA to foot much of the bill.

An Initiative Promised 20,000 Homes for Mentally Ill Californians. It Delivered Far Less

02/06/2024

California voters this spring are considering a $6.4 billion bond to house people with serious mental health conditions. A similar 2018 ballot measure offers lessons about the obstacles that stand in the way of construction.

Homelessness Is on the California Ballot This March. Will Conditions Change?

01/17/2024

Prop. 1 would funnel more money into housing and treatment for homeless Californians struggling with mental illness and addiction. But it’s far from a one-stop solution.

Program to Clear Encampments Shows Signs of Success, But Housing Remains Elusive

01/16/2024

A multi-year, $750 million California program aimed at doing away with homeless encampments has had mixed results. Local leaders say ongoing funding is needed.

SCOTUS to Hear Case with Major Implications for Homeless

01/12/2024

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case related to whether cities and towns can ban camping on public property. The high court could overturn Martin v. Boise, a 2018 federal court decision that keeps western cities and counties from blocking public camping when sufficient shelter space is unavailable.

Truckee Emergency Warming Shelter Open

12/30/2023

The Emergency Warming Shelter for those experiencing homelessness is open in a new location under new management following a two-month closure.

They Lived in Their Home Almost 30 Years. But California’s ‘No Fault’ Eviction Law May Now Leave Them Homeless

12/25/2023

María Vela’s family has lived in East L.A. nearly 30 years, but new owners of her duplex asked her family to vacate by Christmas. Most evictions are due to nonpayment of rent, but owner move-ins also cause family displacement.

Domestic Violence Shelters Play a Key Role in Fighting Homelessness. Now They Face Deep Funding Cuts

12/19/2023

Federal funding for domestic violence shelters and housing programs is declining. Advocates want the state to step in, but with a record projected deficit new spending is unlikely.

Newsom Blasts Counties for Dragging Feet Over New Mental Health Law

12/15/2023

All but two California counties are delaying their implementation of a new law that makes it easier for a court to place someone in involuntary confinement if they can’t care for their own medical needs or personal safety.

Unhoused Veterans Score Legal Victory in Suit Against VA

12/14/2023

Federal judge David O. Carter has declined to dismiss a lawsuit that could force the Veterans Administration to house veterans experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles area. Carter’s 41-page ruling could pave the way for a trial in mid-2024.

Border Patrol Dumped 42,000 migrants on San Diego Streets. The County Needs Help to Help Them

12/03/2023

San Diego-area nonprofits and faith organizations struggle to provide for tens of thousands of migrants border agents have released on San Diego streets.

Crews Begin Clearing Berkeley Encampment That Advocates Tried to Save

11/09/2023

Berkeley public works staff and police officers began closing the longstanding encampment along Seventh and Eighth streets in an “imminent health hazard and emergency abatement,” which was ordered to tackle safety concerns.

Newsom Taking New Approach to California’s 10,000 Homeless Veterans

11/05/2023

California’s population of homeless veterans has plateaued despite billions of dollars in state spending to create housing for former service members. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to shift resources to focus on veterans with serious mental health conditions.

Tiny Homes for the Homeless—Do They Help Solve the Problem?

10/18/2023

Tiny homes are increasingly California cities’ shelter option of choice — but how far they go in solving homelessness is a contentious question.

Tahoe Homeless Camp Mess Gets Cleaned Up

09/27/2023

Trash reportedly left behind by illegal campers that has over the years piled up in the Johnson Meadow area of South Lake Tahoe has been hauled out in recent weeks.

Newsom Changes Mind on How ‘Millionaire’s Tax’ Funds Should be Spent

08/16/2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants counties to spend some revenue from California’s so-called “millionaire’s tax” on the state’s homeless crisis. That alarms advocates for programs that are getting that money today.

Proposed California Constitutional Amendment Could Unlock Billions for Affordable Housing, Public Infrastructure

08/08/2023

Many local governments see voter majorities approve bond measures without reaching the two-thirds required. A new effort to reform that system would drastically improve the ability of local governments to fund housing and infrastructure projects.

Los Angeles Homeless Population Grows. But Mayor Karen Bass Has Also Made Gains

07/26/2023

Despite efforts by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to shelter more than 14,000 people this year, the city's homeless population keeps growing. That does not necessarily mean her signature program is failing. The larger question: How does California measure success?

California’s “Cheapest” Cities Hit With Biggest Rent Hikes

07/20/2023

The lack of enough places for everyone to live has sent coastal rent prices inland, removing large swaths of previously cheaper rental units.

Street Medicine Teams Bring Health Care to the Unhoused

07/10/2023

California’s more than 170,000 unhoused people often lack the means and mobility to locate and visit a doctor who will accept them. At least 25 street medicine teams throughout the state are trying to fill that gap by providing health care to unhoused individuals in need.

Report: Fast Food Industry Wages Help Fuel Homelessness

05/02/2023

Fast food is the largest employer of homeless workers in California, with one of 17 unhoused individuals in the state working in the industry. That is according to a new report released by the Economic Roundtable.

California’s Next Housing Crackdown Could Force Cities to Plan More Homeless Shelters

04/30/2023

California cities of every size lack shelter beds for the state’s growing homeless population. A new bill would force local governments to do more, and punish ones that don’t plan housing for homeless Californians.

California Cities Are Cracking Down on Homeless Camps

04/12/2023

Democratic voters in California cities are pushing mayors and city councils to clear homeless camps. Leaders are responding with new ordinances, from Sacramento to San Diego.

Annual Point-in-Time Count Results in for Placer, Nevada Counties

04/03/2023

The annual Point-in-Time survey of people experiencing homelessness in Placer and Nevada County was conducted Jan. 25=Feb. 3 by 150 volunteers, nonprofit, and city and county staff.

Placer County’s Low-Barrier Shelter Helps Unhoused, Avoids Lawsuit

01/17/2023

Placer County is establishing a mobile temporary shelter in the Auburn area near the Placer County Government Center.

Gov. Newsom Holds State Homelessness Funding Hostage

11/02/2022

Gov. Gavin Newsom is not pleased with local leaders' plans to reduce homelessness, and will hold back state funding until they take more aggressive action: “Everyone has to do better.”

Tahoe Coalition for Homeless Seeking New Leadership

09/26/2022

The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless has announced its search for new leadership after the departure of Executive Director Cheyenne Purrington. In the interim, its board of directors aid the team with daily operations.

Here’s How Homeless Residents Can Vote in the November Election

09/25/2022

It’s a common misconception that a physical address is required to cast a ballot. For individuals living in shelters or encampments, California offers several options for participating in local elections.

Homeless Navigation Center Project Put on Hold

07/31/2022

A California Fair Political Practices Commission complaint has postponed the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors’ plans to build a homeless navigation center and shelter in Placerville. District 3 Supervisor Wendy Thomas recused herself from a July 27 vote on the center, pending clearance from the FPPC. The supervisors continued the matter to Aug. 23.

Join Us Today!