GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO
TODAY'S HEARING ON
ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW. BEFORE WE
GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME
SEVERAL NEW MEMBERS TO THE
COMMITTEE. WELCOME TO OUR VICE
CHAIR. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S DIXON AS
WELL AS TO ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S,
WHEN DAVIES AND BAINES WHO ARE
OUR NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AT LOOKING FORWARD TO
A PRODUCTIVE, PRODUCTIVE SESSION
WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. I ALSO
WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
COLLEGE. TAYLOR WHO IS SERVING
AS OUR COMMITTEE SECRETARY.
TODAY SHE IS ON LOAN FROM THE
ASSEMBLY'S, UH, COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR HELP TODAY.
THANK YOU. UM BEFORE WE GET
STARTED, JUST A COUPLE OF
HOUSEKEEPING ANNOUNCEMENTS. TO
ENSURE THAT MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
AND PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO OUR
PROCEEDINGS. THIS HEARING WILL
BE STREAMED ON THE ASSEMBLY'S
WEBSITE AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC CAN PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN
PERSON HERE IN ROOM 4 37. TO
PRESERVE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE
HERE AND TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC
ACCESS TO THE DISCUSSION. PLEASE
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF OUR
SERGEANTS IF ANY MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC IN THE ROOM WOULD LIKE TO
TESTIFY ON A BILL, I WILL ASK
YOU TO APPROACH THE MICROPHONE
AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. PLEASE
NOTE THAT ALL WITNESS TESTIMONY
TODAY WILL BE IN PERSON. THERE
WILL BE NO PHONE TESTIMONY. FOR
THIS HEARING, AND LASTLY, I DO
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE ASSEMBLY
HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL
DISRUPTIONS TO COMMITTEE AND
FLOOR PROCEEDINGS. WE ARE
COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT ALL
VOICES ARE HEARD, HOWEVER,
CONDUCT THAT DISRUPTS, DISTURBS
OR OTHERWISE IMPEDES THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT AT THE HEARING IS
PROHIBITED. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
FOR YOUR COOPERATION. WE DO NOT
YET HAVE A QUORUM. BUT WE'VE GOT
AUTHORS IN THE ROOM. UM SO WE'LL
GO AHEAD AND BEGIN AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE. OUR FIRST BELL IS
FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JACKSON. A
B 11 ASSEMBLY MEMBER. GOOD
MORNING.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR OF
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. UM, I
AM HERE TO PRESENT A B 11. THE
AFFORDABLE CALIFORNIA ACT. AND I
AM HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
WORK WITH COMMITTEE STAFF AND
THE CHAIR, UM ON MAKING SURE
THAT WE CAN MEET OUR GOALS AND
INEFFECTIVE WAY AND SO WE ARE
HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S
AMENDMENTS. IN BRIEF A B 11
SEEKS TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE
THE LEGISLATURE WITH EFFECTIVE
POLICY SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THE RISING
COST OF LIVING IN CALIFORNIA. AS
AMENDED. A B 11 WILL ASSIGN THIS
TASK TO THE LITTLE HOOVER
COMMISSION, WHICH HAS A RICH
HISTORY OF SERVICE TO THIS BODY
AND THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. AS
NOTED BY THE PUBLIC POLICY
INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA, A
QUARTER OR 10 MILLION
CALIFORNIANS WORRY ABOUT PAYING
THEIR BILLS EVERY SINGLE DAY. IN
2019 2019 POLL CONDUCTED BY THE
CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE
FOUNDATION. FOUND THAT OVER 50%
OF CALIFORNIA FAMILIES DELAYED
OR SKIPPED MEDICAL CARE DUE TO
COST THIS INCLUDED AVOIDING
RECOMMENDED MEDICAL TESTS OR
TREATMENTS, CUTTING MEDICATION
DOSES AND HALF OR POSTPONING
PHYSICAL OR MENTAL CARE.
CALIFORNIA CONSUMER PRICE
INDEXES AT ALL IS AT ALL TIME
HIGHS. CALIFORNIA'S ARE WARNING
WHY THEIR GROCERIES, GAS AND
HOUSING ARE ALL GOING UP AT THE
SAME TIME. AND THEY'RE WONDERING
WHERE WILL IT END? UM OBVIOUSLY
, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS A
VERY COMPLICATED AND A DIVERSE
SYSTEM. AND IT'S GOING TO BE
VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE
LEGISLATURE HAS EVERY TOOL THAT
IT CAN HAVE TO FIGURING OUT WHAT
THINGS CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE
THAT CALIFORNIA IS AFFORDABLE
AND WE ARE NOT DRIVING OUT OUR
MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THIS
STATE. WITH ME TODAY. I HAVE
TUNISIA HERRING GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS SPECIALISTS
REPRESENTING THE BILL'S SPONSOR
, THE CALIFORNIA HAWAII STATE
CONFERENCE OF THE N A. A C P
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT GOOD MORNING
, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, UM,
AS A SELENA JACKSON SAID. I AM
TUNISIA. HERRING AND I, WITH THE
CALIFORNIA HAWAII STATE
CONFERENCE OF THE N DOUBLE A. C
P. THE CALIFORNIA, HAWAII AND
HAWAII N DOUBLE A C P PRINCIPLE
OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THE
POLITICAL EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL
, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY
OF MINORITY CITIZENS IN
CALIFORNIA AND ELIMINATE
ELIMINATE RACE PREJUDICE. WE ARE
PROUD TO SPONSOR A B 11 BECAUSE
IT SEEKS TO REMEDY A STANDING
PROBLEM THAT MANY CALIFORNIANS
ARE FORCED TO DEAL WITH THE
RISING COST OF LIVING. THE ISSUE
IMPACTS CALIFORNIANS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE, WHETHER IT'S THE
REDUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
OR THE INCREASE OF FOOD IN FOOD
DESERTS. ACCORDING TO THE
CALIFORNIA HOUSING PARTNERSHIP,
HALF OF CALIFORNIA SIX MILLION
RENTER HOUSEHOLDS ARE LOWER
INCOME WITH MORE THAN ONE
MILLION EXTREMELY LOW INCOME
RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS. RENTERS NEED
TO EARN 2.8 TIMES THE STATE
MINIMUM WAGE TO AFFORD AVERAGE
ASKING RENT IN CALIFORNIA, WHICH
HAS INCREASED BY 11% BY 2000
SINCE 2021. ACCORDING TO THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF FOOD
BANKS AND ESTIMATED EIGHT
MILLION CALIFORNIANS SPACE FOOD
INSECURITY. ONE OUT OF EVERY
FIVE CALIFORNIANS DO NOT KNOW
WHERE THE NEXT MEAL WILL COME
FROM, WITH GREATER LEVELS OF
HUNGER EXPERIENCED BY BLACK AND
LATINO FAMILIES. A V 11 IS
CRITICAL DURING THIS
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS USING THE
LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION TO
INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES AND
EFFECTS OF CALIFORNIANS RISING
COSTS OF LIVING OR CREATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE PROACTIVE
AND AVOIDING THE REASONS THAT
LED TO OUR CURRENT CRISIS. THIS
PROACTIVE APPROACH MAY CAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE TO HALT THE PROBLEM
BEFORE IT GETS EVEN WORSE IF
THIS CRISIS CONTINUES WITHOUT A
SOLUTION, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES
AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WILL
BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE
CONSEQUENCES. WE THANK YOU SO
MUCH MEMBER CORY JACKSON FOR
WRITING THE SUPPORT AND CRUCIAL
LEGISLATION. WE HOPE THIS MAYBE
11 WILL BE A STARTING POINT FOR
THE MARATHON AHEAD OF US TO
DECREASE THE COST OF LIVING IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. AND THANK
YOU ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JACKSON.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST PAUSE
VERY QUICKLY SO THAT WE CAN
ESTABLISH QUORUM BEFORE WE
PROCEED WITH THE HEARING. MADAM
SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
NORRIS HERE. DIXON HERE. DAVIES
HERE. SPAIN'S HERE ANYWHERE.
THREE GÓMEZ. WILSON HERE. WE
HAVE A CORNER. WONDERFUL AND, UH
, WE DO NOT HAVE A PRIMARY
WITNESS IN OPPOSITION WILL GO
AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR OTHER
WITNESSES WHO ARE HERE TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT.
SIR. GO AHEAD.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR MEMBERS
CHRISTMAS AERATION AND MUNICIPAL
EMPLOYEES HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT
OF A B 11. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
. UH IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROOM
WISHING TO TESTIFY IN
OPPOSITION? SEEN NONE QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
MISS WATSON. THANK YOU, UM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S JACKSON. MY
ONLY QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO,
UM I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE
AMENDMENTS, UM FROM THE
COMMITTEE TO INSTEAD OF CREATING
A NEW COMMISSION USING AN
EXISTING ONE, BUT NOTING,
NOTICING SOME OF THE, UM UM,
REQUIREMENTS TO THE STUDY. UM
THERE. THERE'VE BEEN QUITE A
NUMBER OF STUDIES IN THE MOST
RECENT YEARS SINCE EVEN SINCE
THE PANDEMIC, SO 2020 2021 EVEN
LAST YEAR, AND, UM, RELATED TO
THESE TOPICS AND HAVE AN AND
MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN COMPLETED
WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
LEGISLATURE. AND SO I WONDERED
JUST IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE
BENEFIT OF, UM, DOING THIS STUDY
THIS WAY, VERSUS TAKING THE
EXISTING STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN
DONE AND USING THAT AND WHY, WHY
SOMETHING NEW IN THAT REGARD UM
, ABSOLUTELY AGREE. THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY STUDIES THAT HAVE
TOUCHED ON BITS AND PIECES OF
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MORE
OF A COMPREHENSIVE THING. THE
IDEA IS FOR THE LITTLE HOOVER
COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO
CONSOLIDATE ALL THOSE DIFFERENT
STUDIES. TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN
ONE PLACE SO THE LEGISLATURE CAN
GET IT ALL IN 11 OPPORTUNITY SO
THAT WE CAN ALL THEN TAKE A LOOK
AT WHAT LEGISLATIVE THINGS WE
CAN DO IN THE COMING YEARS TO
MAKE SURE THAT CALIFORNIA IS
MORE AFFORDABLE, SO IT'S MORE OF
A CONSOLIDATION OF MANY OF THESE
STUDIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND
THEN IT WILL ALLOW US TO FIND
OUT WHAT STUDIES AREN'T OUT
THERE THAT WE NEED OUT THERE SO
THAT WE CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD
WITH THAT AS WELL. OKAY AND THEN
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, IS IN
RESPONSE TO THAT ONE PLACE. THIS
HAS, UM, WITH THAT EXPECTATION
EXPECTED THAT BY THE END OF THIS
LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, A
REPORT WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE
LEGISLATURE THAN WITH HOPES I
GUESS INTO THE FALL WHEN WE
CONSIDER IN THE NEW LEGISLATIVE
SESSION LEGISLATION POTENTIALLY,
THAT CAN MITIGATE THE RISING
COSTS TO FAMILIES AND
BUSINESSES. ALL RIGHT,
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
HMM. VICE CHAIR, DIXON. THANK
YOU, CHAIR. UM DO WE KNOW THE
COST OF WHAT THIS STUDY WOULD BE
CONDUCTED BY THE LITTLE HOOVER
COMMISSION. HAVE WE? WE DO NOT
YET. UM WE WERE WE WOULD HAVE TO
WAIT FOR APPROPRIATIONS. LET US
KNOW THAT. IS THERE ANY
PROJECTED ESTIMATE. NOT YET. WE
DO NOT HAVE A PROJECTED ESTIMATE
THAT NOTE ON THE COUPLE OF
THINGS ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE
11 MEMBER. COMMISSION, SO THAT'S
NO LONGER NO, THAT'S NO LONGER
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT CREATING
A WHOLE NEW ALRIGHT, SO I SHOULD
DISREGARD THAT WHAT I WAS GOING
TO SAY IS THERE I GUESS I DON'T
KNOW THE ANSWER. PERHAPS YOU DO
ON A LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION,
WHICH IS A FINE AH! HIGHLY
REGARDED COMMISSION TO STUDY
THESE KINDS OF MATTERS. WOULD
THERE BE HOUSING EXPERTS, REAL
ESTATE EXPERTS, ETCETERA, I
NOTICED THE REALTORS HAVE WANTED
TO MEET AMENDED NOW THIS IS
MAYBE BEFORE US WITH THE LITTLE
HOOVER QUESTION THAT WAS BEFORE
THE WE TRANSITION TO LITTLE
HOOVER COMMISSION. THEY WERE
ASKING FOR A PLACE AT THE AT THE
TABLE IN WHICH WE DIDN'T MIND.
UM I THINK NOW THAT LITTLE
HOOVER COMMISSION HAS ALREADY
ESTABLISHED AND THEY ALREADY
HAVE A PROCESS OF WHAT THEY'RE
DOING, THEN IT'S UM WE'RE NOT
DUPLICATING EFFORTS. SO LET ME
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LITTLE
HOOVER COMMISSION WOULD DO. HMM
THEY WOULD TAKE THEY WOULD NOT
DO A NEW RESEARCH. THEY WOULD
TAKE EXISTING RESEARCH AND BRING
IT ALL TOGETHER. AGGREGATED Tð.
SO IT'S NOT ORIGINAL RESEARCH.
IT'S TAKING EXISTING RESEARCH.
THAT'S THE GOAL. THAT UH, WHAT
WE'VE BEEN TOLD IS THAT MANY OF
THE STUDIES ALREADY EXISTS, BUT
THEY EXIST IN DIFFERENT PLACES,
AND HOOVER HAS THE LITTLE HOOVER
COMMISSION HAS ALREADY DONE MANY
OF THESE STUDIES ALREADY, AND SO
NOW WE'RE JUST ASKING THEM TO
CONSOLIDATE IT AND GIVE IT TO
THE LEGISLATURE TO BE ABLE TO
EASILY ABSORB IT AND HAVE IT
READILY AT HAND. OKAY SO MANY OF
THE STUDIES THAT HAVE ALREADY
BEEN DONE ON HOUSING AND THEY'VE
BEEN IDENTIFIED. MAYBE THEY
HAVEN'T BEEN CONSOLIDATED. BUT
AS I UNDERSTAND, THERE'S BEEN A
NUMBER OF OTHER STUDIES BY THE
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS.
HOUSING CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. SO HAVE YOU
KNOW I THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR
HERE HAVE THOSE STUDY HAS BEEN
INCORPORATED AND IN LEGISLATION
THAT WE THE LEGISLATURE HAS
CONSIDERED IN YEARS PAST. I
CAN'T SPEAK TO PASS LEGISLATURES
. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE STUDIES
HAVE BEEN OUT THERE. UM WE
HAVEN'T AS A LEGISLATURE. WE
HAVEN'T DONE A GOOD JOB TO
ADDRESS IT. AND SO THIS IS IN
HOPES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR
COLLEAGUES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AT
HAND. AND SO, STARTING NEXT
YEAR, WE CAN REALLY ADDRESS WHAT
I'M SURE MANY OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING, UM AND
THAT IS. IT'S HARD TO LIVE IN
CALIFORNIA AND AT THIS POINT MY
DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE 60TH WAS
USUALLY THE PLACE YOU GO TO FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND NOW
THAT'S GONE AND THE NEXT
COMMUNITY. OVER IS ARIZONA. UH
SO IF WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO STAY
IN CALIFORNIA WE HAVE MANY
GROUPS. PEOPLE OF COLOR ALL OVER
CALIFORNIA, WHO'VE TRADITIONALLY
IN GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN LIVING
THERE HAVE NOW BEEN PRICED OUT
OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY
HAVE LIVED IN FOR GENERATIONS,
PARTICULARLY THE BAY AREA AND
OTHER PLACES. AND SO I MY HOPE
IS THAT THIS WILL GIVE US SOME
MORE OF A SENSE OF URGENCY. UM
AND ALSO GIVE US A SENSE THAT WE
NOW HAVE IT BEFORE US. WE DON'T
HAVE TO GO SEARCHING FOR PLACES.
AND WE CAN GET TO WORK GET TO
WORK TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
WELL, I COMMEND YOUR
DETERMINATION ON THAT. I MEAN,
JUST FROM WHAT WE'VE ALL READ
AND KNOW ABOUT A LOT OF
DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT HOUSING.
YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT THERE THERE'S
A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE
CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING THAT
ADDS TO THE SALE PRICE OF
HOUSING. THAT'S THE REGULATORY
COSTS. SEQUA DO YOU ANTICIPATE?
IS THERE ANY STUDY THAT
ADDRESSES THE COST OF SEQUA AND
ADDING TO THE COST OF LAWSUITS
THAT DEVELOPER CAUSE THEY GET
PASSED ON TO THE HOME BUYER. ARE
WE LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE
THAT'S ONE AREA AS I UNDERSTAND
IT THAT'S REALLY NEVER BEEN
ADDRESSED. WELL ABSOLUTELY. I
THINK THE IDEA IS THAT WE HAVE
TO DO A FEW THINGS. NUMBER ONE.
I'M HEARING THE SAME ISSUES AS
AS YOU HAVE ADDRESSED AT THIS
TIME, BUT WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE
THAT WE HEAR THAT NUMBER ONE IN
CALIFORNIA THE MAJORITY OF THE
AFFORDABILITY, ISSUES AND
HOUSING, RIGHT. AND HOW DO WE
ADDRESS THE HOUSING ISSUE? BUT
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALSO NOW HAVE
BEEN FACING ISSUES WHEN IT COMES
TO OUR UTILITIES WHEN IT COMES
TO ISSUES OF OUR ENERGY WHEN IT
COMES TO RIGHT, I MEAN, SO
THERE'S ONGOING AND IT COULD BE
PRETTY DAUNTING WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE DATA AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DO THESE THINGS. AND SO
THIS IS MY HOPE THAT NUMBER ONE
WE CAN BEGIN TO FIX THOSE
ISSUES. KIND OF DIGESTED IN A
SIMPLER WAY, AND THEN BEGAN TO
GET TO WORK ON IT AND AGREE FROM
A OBJECTIVE MANNER. THAT AH!
THAT OBJECTIVELY. THIS IS WHAT
THE DATA TELLS US OBJECTIVELY.
THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED
TO US. AND SO THERE'S NO REASON
WHY WE ALL CAN'T GET ON BOARD.
ONCE THAT HAPPENS, I WOULD HOPE
THAT IS THE CASE. IT'S JUST I
DON'T I DON'T EVEN SEE WHERE THE
COST OF REGULATION. I MEAN, EVEN
THOUGH THESE THESE PRESCRIPTIVE
DIRECTIONS ARE NO LONGER PART OF
THE RECOMMENDATION. IT'S JUST
THAT ADDRESSING YOU TALK ABOUT
ROOT CAUSES. I'M CONCERNED THAT
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE
REGULATORY COST. I CAN, BUT I'M
MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH
YOUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CAN LOOK AT THAT AND TO SEE IF
WE CAN FIND SOME LANGUAGE THAT
MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIT THAT
CONCERN. I'M NOT OBJECT. I'M NOT
OPPOSED TO THAT AT ALL. DID YOU
SAY HOW LONG THIS WOULD TAKE
SHOULD BY THE END OF, UH, BY THE
END OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE HOPING
TO BE ABLE TO GET IT SO THAT BY
THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE
HAVE SOMETHING TO ACT ON. OKAY
VERY GOOD. NK YOU. THANK YOU,
VICE CHAIR. FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS
FOLLOW UP QUESTION FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WILSON FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. DIXON NOTED
THAT, UM, THE PRESCRIPTION THAT
CHANGED AND I THOUGHT THE
AMENDMENT WAS JUST THE
COMMISSION. BUT THE, UM THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMMISSION
TO STUDY BUT NOT LIMITED TO THAT
DID NOT CHANGE, RIGHT. DOES IT
DOES THAT? THAT IS CORRECT? YES
WANTED TO MAKE SURE I THOUGHT IT
DID. AND THEN THANK YOU REMEMBER
THE ONLY AMENDMENT WAS WHO WAS
DOING THE WORK. CORRECT YES. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOTION FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WILSON AND A
SECOND FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RODRIGUEZ, UH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? SURE
UNDERSTANDING THE BEST WAY TO
MAINTAIN AND RETAINED THE
STATE'S MIDDLE CLASS POPULATION.
AND HOW TO CREATE UPWARD
MOBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND
FAMILIES. UM WHO ARE 200% OR
BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY RATE.
UH UM, ARE ESSENTIAL TO
CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE. AND, UM. IT
IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT, UM AS WE GO WITH OTHER
PROGRAMS, AND AS WE TRY TO HAVE
THE AND WE WILL ACHIEVE THE
CLEANEST STATE IN CALIFORNIA, UM
THROUGH OUR CLIMATE CHANGE
EFFORTS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE, UM, OF
ALL ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS THAT
WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE STATE
FOR THE FUTURE. SO WITH THAT, I
ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU,
AND WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WILSON, SECOND
FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RODRIGUEZ
. THE MOTION IS DUE PASS AS
AMENDED AND RE REFER TO THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
. PETRIE-NORRIS PETRIE-NORRIS.
AYE DIXON DIXON, NOT VOTING.
FEIGNS BRAINS. I DAVIES DAVID'S
NOT VOTING. STEPHANIE NGUYEN.
STEPHANIE NGUYEN. AYE, RODRIGUEZ
. BUT WE ASIDE, WILSON WILSON.
AYE. ALRIGHT 50 THAT BILL IS
OUT. THANK YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
JACKSON. BEFORE WE JUMP INTO OUR
SECOND AND LAST BILL, UM WE ARE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADOPT THE
COMMITTEE RULES NOW THAT WE HAVE
A QUORUM. THE RULES HAVE BEEN
DISTRIBUTED TO ALL MEMBERS
OFFICES. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE ON
THE COMMITTEE HAS HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THEM OVER.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND
FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE
COMMITTEE RULES? THANK YOU.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RODRIGUEZ,
SECOND FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S.
WHEN MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL PETRIE-NORRIS.
PETER NORTHSIDE DIXON. I DIXON,
I DAVIES DAVIS, I BAINES BAINES
, I STEPHANIE NGUYEN, STEPHANIE
NGUYEN. I'VE RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ
. I WILSON WILSON. I ALRIGHT 70
, OR COMMITTEE RULES ARE NOW
ADOPTED AND WITH THAT WE'LL GO
AHEAD AND MOVE TO OUR NEXT
AUTHOR. GOOD MORNING.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS. WHENEVER
YOU ARE READY.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, UM MAYBE 30. 3 49 WOULD
AUTHORIZE PATTON STATE HOSPITAL
, WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY
DISTRICT. TO ENTER INTO AN
AGREEMENT WITH A NONPROFIT. OR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE
HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES TO THE INLAND EMPIRE'S
HOMELESS POPULATION. AS A COUNTY
SUPERVISOR. I'VE SEEN HOW
HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO BE A
NUMBER ONE ISSUE. UM, BUT YET
WHEN YOU DEAL WITH LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS, SOMETIMES THERE'S
A DIVIDE OF HOW TO WORK TOWARDS
SOLUTIONS. THIS IN FRONT OF US
TODAY IS A REGIONAL APPROACH TO
AN AREA. HOMELESSNESS THAT
AFFECTS ALL OF US IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. AS IT STANDS, THE
COUNTY OF SAN MARTINO IDENTIFIED
A 6.6 INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS
SINCE HIS LAST POINT IN TIME
COUNT AND FOUND THAT 43.5% OF
THOSE COUNT IT WERE IDENTIFIED
AS BEING HOMELESS FOR ONE YEAR
OR MORE. AND HAVING A DISABLING
CONDITIONS SUCH AS MENTAL
ILLNESS. CHRONIC HEALTH
CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL
DISABILITY. THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO. HAS SEEN 100 AND 75%
INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS OVER
THE PAST FIVE YEARS. WHICH HAS
LED THEM TO RECENTLY CALLED FOR
A STATE OF EMERGENCY. WHAT WE
ARE SEEING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS
AN ONGOING NEED FOR MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES AS WELL AS
HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE
HOMELESS. THERE IS URGENCY FOR A
SOLUTION. AND A B 349 STARTS TO
MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. A
SUCCESSFUL MODEL OF THIS
APPROACH LIES IN THE CITY OF
NORWALK. WHERE AN AWARD WINNING
HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION
ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
HOSPITALS TO OPERATE ON THE
FORMER GROUNDS OF THE
METROPOLITAN STATE HOSPITAL.
SURPLUS PROPERTY WAS BEING
AUDITED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
. WE ASKED THAT PATTON STATE
HOSPITAL BE INCLUDED, AND IT WAS
SO THERE'S SURPLUS PROPERTY
THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AT PATTON
STATE HOSPITAL. AT METROPOLITAN
STATE HOSPITAL. THROUGH THIS
MODEL, THE PROGRAM HAS ASSISTED
THOUSANDS IN TRANSITIONING INTO
LONG TERM COMMUNITY BASED
HOUSING. WE HAVE A STARTING
POINT FOR CONSTRUCTING A SIMILAR
LIFE CHANGER IN THE INLAND
EMPIRE. BY CONVERTING PATTON
STATE HOSPITAL SURPLUS PROPERTY
AND COLLABORATING WITH OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAVE A
STARTING POINT TO ENSURE THAT
WE'RE BRINGING MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS TO GET
THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
FORTUNATELY LOCAL AND STATE
LEADERS HAVE FOUR STRONG WORKING
RELATIONSHIPS. IF EACH ENTITY
CONTRIBUTES IN DESIGNING OUR OWN
MODEL PROGRAM IN OUR AREA, AND
THEN TOGETHER LEVERAGES THEIR
RESOURCES WE CAN SAVE AND WE
WILL CHANGE LIVES. WITH ME TODAY
IS THE MAYOR OF SAN MARTINO CITY
MAYOR HELEN TRENT BILL. GOOD
MORNING, MADAM CHAIR AND
HONORABLE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. MY
NAME IS HELEN TRAN. AND I'M THE
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN
BERNARDINO. IT IS AN HONOR TO
SPEAK BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING
AND SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL A
B, UM 3 49. THE CURRENT
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM OF THE CITY
OF SAN MARTINO WAS APPROVED BY
THE COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY. 1ST
2023 SUPPORTS REGIONAL
INITIATIVES TO REDUCE AND
PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS
REGIONAL EFFORTS TO SECURE STATE
AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL PROJECTS, FACILITIES
AND SHARED RESOURCES. 83 49 IS
CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. AND THE
2022 SAMMARTINO COUNTY POINT IN
TIME, COUNT 1350 INDIVIDUALS
WERE COUNTED AS HOMELESS IN THE
CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO. WHICH IS
28% INCREASE FROM THE 2020
COUNT. AND WE MAKE UP 40% OF THE
COUNTY'S HOMELESS POPULATION
THAT RESIDE IN OUR CITY ALONE. I
RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE
2023 POINT IN TIME COUNT AND
PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE
HEARTBREAKING CONDITIONS THAT
EXIST FOR OUR RESIDENTS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
SPECIFICALLY, WHILE WE WERE
DRIVING THROUGH DOWNTOWN, WE
ENCOUNTERED A MIDDLE AGED
HOMELESS WOMAN BLOCKING TRAFFIC
IN FRONT OF OUR CAR AND WOULD
NOT ALLOW ANY VEHICLES TO PASS.
IT WAS VERY COLD MORNING AND SHE
HAD VERY MINIMAL CLOTHING ON YOU
COULD VISIBLY SEE SHE WAS
EXPERIENCING MENTAL EPISODE
RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. LAST
MONTH, THE CITY OF SARA MEDINA
JOINED WITH LOS ANGELES AND LONG
BEACH AND DECLARING A HOMELESS
STATE OF EMERGENCY EMERGENCY
DECLARATION INCLUDED
COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN. AND
THE COMMITMENT OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN RESOURCES. THE MOST
DIFFICULT CHALLENGE WE FACE IN
ASSISTING OUR OWN HOUSE
POPULATION IS THE LACK OF MENTAL
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND RELATED
FACILITIES IN OUR REGION. THEY
JUST AREN'T IN THE INLAND
EMPIRE. 83 49 WILL PROVIDE US
WITH THE FACILITY AT THE
UNDERUTILIZED PENN STATE
HOSPITAL THAT WILL HELP OUR CITY
AND OUR COUNTY TO PROVIDE
HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES TO OUR HOMELESS
POPULATION. THIS WILL DIRECTLY
IMPACT OUR EFFORTS TO HELP THESE
RESIDENTS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE
SAD CONDITION AND MOVE TOWARDS A
BETTER FUTURE. THIS IS CRITICAL.
WE STRONGLY URGE YOU URGE YOUR
SUPPORT FOR THIS EFFORT. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, AND WE DO NOT
HAVE A PRIMARY WITNESS IN
OPPOSITION WILL GO AHEAD AND
OPEN IT UP FOR TESTIMONY. AH
FROM FOLKS IN THE ROOM. IS THERE
ANYONE IN THE ROOM WISHING TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF A B 349?
SEE NONE. ANYONE WISHING TO
TESTIFY IN OPPOSITION? TWO,
MAYBE 349. SEEN NONE. OPEN IT UP
FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RODRIQUEZ. YES
I WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD. IT'S
MUCH NEEDED, ESPECIALLY INLAND
EMPIRE. WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES
REGARDING HOMELESSNESS. MENTAL
HOW, UM UM, RESOURCES. I WANT TO
THANK THEM FOR ME THAT FORWARD
GREAT IDEA. OBVIOUSLY THAT WE
HAVE THE SURPLUS LAND THEIR
ABILITY TO CREATE THESE HOMES
AND SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS.
PEOPLE NEED. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S DIXON.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. THIS IS A
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAVENS AND
MAYOR IS HIS LONG TIME COMING
AND I SEE IT AS A ROLE MODEL AND
OUR IN YOUR DISTRICT. AH
FORMALLY IN OUR OTHER DISTRICT,
BUT IN COSTA MESA, WE HAVE
FAIRVIEW. WHICH WOULD BE, UH
THIS WOULD BE A GOOD LESSON AND
LEARNING OF HOW WE COULD
REDIRECT. FAIRVIEW IS SIMILAR
KIND OF STATEMENT, MENTAL
HOSPITAL AND CONVERTED INTO THIS
TYPE OF FACILITY THAT'S MUCH
NEEDED. I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS.
I'VE STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE BECAUSE
I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A MODEL
FOR THE REST OF OUR REGIONAL
EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH
HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL ILLNESS
, SO WE ALL KNOW THAT'S A
SERIOUS CRISIS IN OUR STATE. AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR
GREAT SUCCESS. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. UM
AND I WOULD JUST ADD. I THINK WE
ALL RECOGNIZE THAT THE
INTERWOVEN CRISES OF
HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
ARE THE NUMBER ONE CHALLENGES
FACING EVERY COMMUNITY ALL
ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AND REALLY APPRECIATE THIS
CREATIVE AND REGIONAL APPROACH
AND SOLUTIONS ORIENTED APPROACH
TO TACKLING THE CHALLENGE. SO
WITH THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S YOU
HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE AS FOR
YOUR VOTE? RIGHT THANK YOU.
WE'VE GOT EMOTION FROM
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RODRIGUEZ,
SECOND FROM ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
WILSON. THE MOTION IS DO PASS
AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS SECRETARY. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL. PETRIE-NORRIS
PETRIE-NORRIS. AYE DICKSON
DICKSON. I BAINES BAINES. I
DAVIES DAVIES, I STEPHANIE
NGUYEN. STEPHANIE NGUYEN? AYE,
RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, I WILSON
WILSON, I 7 TO 070 UNANIMOUS
SUPPORT THAT BILL IS OUT. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THANK YOU
SO MUCH, AND WE'D BE HONORED TO
ACCEPT ANY Ó AUTHORS ON THE
BILL ALSO WONDERFUL. YEAH SIGN
US UP. SIGN ME UP. ALRIGHT
RODRIGUEZ, STEPHANIE. WILSON.
DAN. PAINS. DAVIES. HEY THERE
YOU GO. ONE MORE BODY. YOU'RE ON
. UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND THAT
CONCLUDES THE BUSINESS OF THIS
MORNING'S ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW HEARING
WITH THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING. I
JUST WANTED TO CHANGE THE VOTE
REAL QUICK. IF I COULD, OKAY?
YES WE WILL HONOR VOTE CHANGES.
MY APOLOGIES. 11 TO A YES. BOTH
CHANGE A B 11 JACKSON. DAVIES
FROM NOT VOTING TO A I MISS
DAVIS DAVIS. I OKAY, SO NOW WE
ARE AT 60 FOR MAYBE 11 FROM
ASSEMBLY MEMBER. UH JACKSON. AND
WITH THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED.