Merced committed to helping homeless, despite Newsom’s withholding of funding, says mayor

Editor’s note: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Nov. 18 reversed plans to withhold funds from cities to address homelessness.

Supporting homeless residents is a shared responsibility

Housing and homelessness have been robust discussion topics at Merced City Council meetings.

During the past 18 months, Council has heard from community members about the critical need to address homelessness, the need for affordable housing, and the need for creating amenity-rich sustainable neighborhoods throughout the City of Merced.

As State policymakers continue to change legislation to boost housing production and remove barriers to construction, this City Council has followed the State’s leadership to enact affordable housing policies that alleviate barriers and spur housing production locally.

Although the Governor recently pressed pause on the latest distribution of Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention funding to local governments, the City of Merced, in a joint effort with the Continuum of Care and Merced County, continues to increase access to affordable housing and permanent supportive housing to address homelessness in our community.

The City has two State Homekey projects under construction containing 116 units. Additionally, our County recently completed a Governor’s 100-day Challenge, housing 116 homeless youth in 100 days.

A massive amount of work is required to manage this critical issue, which is an enormous priority for our Council and our community.

Addressing homelessness — and preventing more Californians from having to live on the streets — is a top priority for lawmakers at all levels of government.

Local governments have a critical role in providing housing and supportive services for unhoused residents. However, no single entity can solve this crisis.

These efforts uniquely involve collaborative partnerships with County, regional, and state agencies to develop solutions that create stronger communities and save lives.

Merced is committed to investing in effective approaches for affordable, permanent supportive housing to meet our community’s residents’ needs.

This shared responsibility requires a coordinated approach, strong partnerships, and significant investments.

Our community’s input and involvement in this process are critical and welcomed.

Matthew Serratto is mayor of the City of Merced.

This story was originally published November 20, 2022 at 5:30 AM.