Governor Newson's executive order today, which more information can be found here, is going to have a severely negative impact on people experiencing homelessness. Living in a camp is already a stressful circumstance. Imagine getting a notice that you have 48 hours to pack up your belongings and go. Where are they supposed to go? Governor Newsom does not provide an answer. California only has around 71,000 transitional housing beds available, and there are currently over 180,000 people impacted by homelessness in the state. California has a higher population of people impacted by homelessness than any other state, with over 25% of the nation's total population affected by homelessness residing there.
This order does not acknowledge the primary driver of homelessness: a lack of affordable housing. With more institutional buyers purchasing single-family homes to rent out, this problem will only worsen. Before 2011, there were no examples of institutional investors owning more than 1,000 single-family homes. As of 2022, according to this Government Accountability Office report, 32 institutional investors collectively owned 450,000 single-family homes, and according to the GAO, the five largest investors owned nearly 300,000 homes.
Everyone deserves a roof over their heads and a place to call home. I founded Cherry Willow Apparel to advocate for and empower people impacted by homelessness. At Cherry Willow, we will continue to work to change the perception of people affected by homelessness by sharing their stories, highlighting existing research, and encouraging community action! Together, we can positively impact many people who experience homelessness. I recently conducted my first interview with a courageous individual that was excited to share his story and perspective with me. We will be releasing it in podcast form soon!