Local governments across California are ignoring a state law that was supposed to add oversight to crowded homeless shelters after reports of violence, vermin and health hazards, according to a CalMatters investigative series with support from the Fund. While cities scramble to address sprawling street encampments, the most immediate alternatives – homeless shelters promising nightly refuge – continue to generate new complaints of sexual assault, wrongful death and unsanitary conditions. But the vast majority of those issues still aren’t being reported to the state; as of July, only five of California’s 58 counties and four of the state’s 478 cities had filed annual reports on shelter conditions, as required by the 2021 law. This in-depth investigation by Lauren Hepler is based on dozens of public records requests, in-person interviews at multiple homeless encampments and a low-barrier online survey designed to reach both shelter residents and shelter staff. In the days after this first story in the series was published, state housing officials issued a public notice reminding local governments of the shelter reporting law. The state legislator who authored the shelter oversight measure also vowed to evaluate new amendments to add “teeth” to the law.
Grantee investigation shows poor oversight of homeless shelters in California, sparking action from state officials
