California's Tiny Home Fiasco: Broken Promises and Failed Policies

Governor Gavin Newsom's ambitious plan to provide tiny homes for California's homeless population has hit a major roadblock, with only a fraction of the promised units delivered amidst a flurry of delays and bureaucratic snafus.

Governor Gavin Newsom's much-publicized plan to provide tiny homes for California's homeless population has fallen into disarray, with only 150 units purchased out of the 1,200 promised last year. The state has blamed local governments for the delays, but local officials have often been quick to approve projects. Meanwhile, the Newsom administration has come under fire for its handling of the homeless crisis and for not having kept records of how billions of dollars spent on solving the problem have been used.

In March 2023, Newsom announced a plan to send 1,200 tiny homes to four cities across the state: Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Jose, and San Diego County. However, Cal Matters reported that as of this week, only 150 homes have been purchased. The state initially planned to buy and supply the homes directly, but later shifted to giving cash grants to the cities and allowing them to order the homes at their discretion.

Six vendors were tasked with supplying the tiny homes, but most have yet to receive a single order. Kam Valgardson, the general manager of one of the vendors, Irontown Modular, expressed his astonishment at the lack of orders. "The big problem is that the homeless people aren't getting served," he said. "The money's been promised, but something's broken in the process and nobody's placing orders."

The delays have been attributed to a variety of factors, including funding issues and the inability of local governments to find suitable locations for the homes. However, Cal Matters reported that even in cases where local leaders moved quickly to approve project sites, tiny homes have failed to materialize.

The Newsom administration has defended its record, claiming that it has provided billions of dollars in funding and streamlined regulations to address the homeless crisis. However, critics point to the fact that the number of homeless in California has continued to grow under Newsom's leadership.

Despite the ongoing challenges, Newsom recently touted California as a "national model" for combating homelessness, a claim that has been met with ridicule by some who point to the state's sprawling homeless encampments and the billions of dollars spent with little accountability.

The governor's office has not responded to requests for comment on the tiny home delays. The failure of this initiative is a major setback for Newsom, who has made addressing homelessness a central plank of his administration.