A 2016 law prohibits state-funded supportive housing from mandating sobriety, but supporters of a proposed bill say a new approach is needed in light of the opioid crisis.
A proposed California bill would ‘supplement’ a Housing First approach to reducing homelessness with funding for sober living facilities. According to an article in Governing by Jenavieve Hatch, the bill would amend a 2016 law that bans mandating sobriety in state-funded housing.
As Hatch explains, “Assembly Bill 2479 would allow for up to 25 percent of the hundreds of millions of dollars the state spends on homeless housing, assistance and prevention programs to go toward sober living environments, where residents are required to abstain from substances, except for those using Medication-Assisted Therapy, such as suboxone.”
The bill explicitly states it would not evict anyone from housing for relapsing, or mandate sobriety to enter a shelter, but would support drug rehabilitation services.
Another proposed bill would make methadone treatment for opioid addiction more available. “The two bills together are both concerned with modernizing the state’s drug and housing laws to better meet the needs of the fentanyl and homelessness crises — even if that means a departure from historically progressive stances.”
FULL STORY: California Bill Would Fund Sober Housing, Suggesting New Approach
Study: How a ‘Housing First’ Approach Impacts Healthcare Access
An analysis from Denver shows that unhoused people receiving services based on a Housing First approach were more likely to access psychiatric care and had fewer emergency medical visits.
A Decade of Progress on Homelessness in Milwaukee County
Unlike most U.S. communities, Milwaukee County has managed to make significant progress toward assisting unhoused residents through a Housing First approach.
New Book Highlights Human Side of Homelessness Crisis
A San Francisco reporter’s empathetic portrait of unhoused Bay Area residents reminds readers why supportive housing is worth fighting for.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service