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Newsom Names San Francisco Among CARE Court’s Lowest Performers as He Tightens Oversight

He warned he may reallocate money in the May budget if counties do not improve.

Overview

  • Newsom directed $131.8 million in Proposition 1 funds to eight Homekey+ projects expected to add 443 supportive homes, plus $159 million in Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention awards to 20 regions.
  • Since launch, about 3,800 CARE petitions have reached courts statewide versus an initial projection of 7,000–12,000 a year, with roughly 4,000 people diverted into services outside court.
  • San Francisco has filed fewer than 100 petitions since 2023 and saw about two-thirds dismissed, while Alameda is cited as a “shining example” with high petition rates and an 11% drop in unsheltered homelessness.
  • State officials identified 10 low-performing counties including San Francisco and Santa Clara and established a CARE Improvement and Coordination Unit to bolster lagging programs.
  • A legislative review estimated costs at about $700,000 per person referred, and more than $424 million has been appropriated as confidentiality and limited follow-up data hinder outcome tracking.