Elliott said the almost-certain recall facing Newsom later this year isnt affecting his positions on housing, either, pointing to the governors 2020 State of the State speech, where housing and homelessness took center stage. Support for Capitol Weekly is Provided by: Jason Elliot. But the question is are we doing better than previous models? Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. "Local government has a responsibility to put their hands up and be part of the solution," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Elliott said that while the state can build housing for people experiencing homelessness and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the housing shortage. Gavin Newsom, Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto, Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old daughter, Prior job: Chief of staff to San Francisco Mayors Ed Lee and London Breed, and policy director for Newsom when he was mayor. CARE Court is meant to target the 10,000 to 12,000 people dealing with schizophrenia and psychosis who may qualify for the program, said Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to Newsom. So, Im gonna miss the troubleshooting with departments and mayor staff. Prior to joining CalEPA, Christine served as Assistant Director for Policy Development at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), where she previously served as Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs. In response, Fowler agreed that California, like the rest of the country, faces a severe shortage of labor, union or otherwise. But with so many other cost drivers such as skyrocketing lumber prices wages arent the problem. LZe$h#0m1Nx@,Z@XO"F"K"]w8|qWWhh\6^i Can Newsom build on pandemic lessons to end homelessness? Newsom also proposed $1.5 billion in this years budget to boost Californias behavioral health housing stock and has funneled billions more toward housing options for people experiencing homelessness. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. But you also had to immediately get to work. Lagos: So you spent the last couple months helping London Breeds administration get settled. Lagos: London Breed became acting mayor, but she was only in that position for a couple of months before the Board of Supervisors controversially replaced her with interim Mayor Mark Farrell, and then of course London Breed got elected. Q: How did the impact of the pandemic, and the response, differ in the states two regions with the worst homelessness crises the Bay Area, and Los Angeles? But he welcomed the proposal as a move in the right direction to prioritize resources for Californias most vulnerable residents, even if the initiative involves growing pains.. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. Honestly sometimes when something is working, you dont tinker with it. A central component of CARE Court is accountability, which Newsom said will drive results. I have sympathy for local leaders in Los Angeles and I have sympathy for the residents of Los Angeles because even sheltering as many people as they did through Project Roomkey, and providing as many new units as they did through Homekey, the order of magnitude of the challenge is so large in LA that it almost feels like you can never make progress. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, said the governor's "hope and expectation is that this will be going out in short order." However, he added that the ball was in the court of . He also emphasized that just as important as passing new legislation is implementing laws already on the books. (Liz Hafalia / San Francisco Chronicle) By Liam Dillon Staff Writer Dec. 21, 2020 1:23 PM PT During his 2018 campaign for. Within hours, Lee died -- and Elliot had to step up to help keep the city running. Sign up below, then look for a confirmation email in your inbox. Health | Sign up for our daily newsletter. The governor said that CARE Court would focus on the most vulnerable Californians suffering from severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and individuals who have cycled in and out of hospitals and jails. No, of course not. To fundamentally alter the reality that we see on the streets requires us fundamentally altering our approach. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? Its a new day, new paradigm, and we are looking forward to getting something big done.. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. By clicking subscribe, you agree to the Terms. As senior counselor to Gov. Some were really good and some were not so good. No, we shouldnt build there, Elliott said. Which is why we need the private sector to do what it does, which is to build housing.. Gov. But the bill may face a major hurdle once its heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. But the bottom line is that he tackles difficult issues and advises the governor on how to respond, and his portfolio is expanding exponentially. Gavin Newsom Age: 37 Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto Current home: Sacramento Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old. View Jason Elliott's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. We are not batting 1,000. What could reparations mean for Black residents of Alameda County? So our responsibility now as a state is to continue to put fuel in the tank of this solution. The answer is yes. Thats goal number one.. They say that's because the state doesn't build housing in . This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,404. His biggest challenges as we go to press are housing, homelessness and mental health care, issues that have dominated the states discussions this year, so he has his work cut out for him. Jason Elliott is the top housing adviser to Gov. 1. We have lost people back to the streets out of Project Roomkey. Newsom Alisa Hartz Brittiany Bearden Deputy Legal Affairs Kelli Evans Secretary Morgan Carvajal Luis Larios Special Assistant to Jay Jefferson Deputy Secretary & As a result, the state has announced it will simplify the process to get more money out the door faster. Richard Figueroa, 60, of Sacramento,has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Elliott has worked in government his whole career, and he met his wife in Gavin Newsoms administration, when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco. The state must invest in permanent affordable housing options in addition to building interim units such as tiny homes and hotel rooms, she said. But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. Graham Knaus, executive director of the California State Assn. Housing | Those concerns are likely to be raised as Newsom continues to conduct roundtable discussions with stakeholders throughout the state. Im not going to take anybodys vote for granted, but I think with my caucus, and I think this is a bipartisan issue, everybody agrees that we need more tools in the toolbox in order to reach those who so desperately need our help.. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $145,008. Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? We believe the answer is yes, and we are in the process now of doing some program evaluation to be able to back that up with data. Callahan is a Democrat. Elliott: The job of a chief of staff is to implement the vision of the mayor that he or she works for. Updated Aug. 9, 202\2 Want to see more stories like this? CalMattersis a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. That has not happened here, the letter says. Receive a free briefing on your state every day. We believe that a transformational proposal like CARE Court should be thoroughly vetted by stakeholders and informed by research and data before it is adopted. a{ b8&F=>TVFPQn r endstream endobj 23 0 obj <>/Metadata 3 0 R/Outlines 7 0 R/Pages 20 0 R/StructTreeRoot 10 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 41 0 R>> endobj 24 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 1441.5 891.38]/Parent 20 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 25 0 obj <>stream A: I will point you to the governors budget proposal: $1.75 billion. We have the wrong reflex around housing in the state. As soon as applicants sign a pledge to submit more ambitious targets and try harder in their plans for the next $1 billion grant the final round of flexible local homelessness funding approved in the 2021 budget the state will start cutting checks for this round, according to Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. One idea: expanding motel conversions, an emergency plan during the pandemic. Today, he announced: Jamie Callahan, 33, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Cabinet Secretary. Newsom dissed local applicants for seeming too complacent about a dire California problem, while the applicants retorted that the Newsom administration sent conflicting signals and that in any case, state lawmakers had inadvertently given them a financial motive to lowball their goals. The groups often have significant sway among liberal legislative Democrats, the kind of influence that could hinder Newsoms hopes for a new law to be in place by July 1. That was the challenge we were facing. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Have it become a fundamental part of addressing homelessness in California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,000. We started with a lot of ideas. I will be reviewing the legislation very closely and recommending any amendments necessary to ensure that CARE Courts can truly help those most in need, while not unduly limiting their constitutionally guaranteed rights, he wrote. A: Both the Bay Area and Los Angeles have stepped up in incredible ways. Most recently,Seeman servedas deputy legislative secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., where he advised on matters related to criminal justice, law enforcement, corrections and the judiciary. Gov. Jason Elliott, Newsom's top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. 3. Stay in touch. And then the high risk factor you apply to that population. We need people to enroll. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. So when you do all that math, youre looking at about 25,000 homeless people losing their lives from coronavirus. Because CARE Court will harm Californians with disabilities, experiencing homelessness, and involved in the criminal legal system, we cannot support this proposal., Cynthia Castillo, a policy advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said Newsoms plan seems to be expanding the bureaucracy of homelessness services.. But its a start, and more than California has done in a long time. But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. We are not batting 1,000. contributed to the housing crisis in California and its Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. Today, he announced: Jamie Callahan, 33, of Sacramento,has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Yes, it has. He comes from a family committed to public service. What have you been trying to pass on to the people who are now going to come after you? Zoom chops nearly 200 jobs in Bay Area as tech layoffs mount Want to see more stories like this? You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. Jason Elliott is a Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom based in Washington, D.C., District of Columbia. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. and we're trying to keep up and make sure that we can keep up with protecting Californians," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior adviser. And that can mean big vision things, and it also means the day-to-day of running a city. Elliott said that the governor remains committed to the principles of housing first and that CARE Court would be one of many ways a person could access shelter. By clicking subscribe, you agree to theTerms. Erin Mellon, Newsom's communications director, confirmed the moves to The Sacramento Bee. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. And it aimed to protect some of the most vulnerable Californians from a disease that we didnt know anything about. And in this case, Homekey works. Within hours, Lee died -- and Elliot had to step up to help keep the city running. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. One example: a 2013 law designed to increase infill development in green zones, which Elliott said could potentially allow for millions of housing units to be built. We practice with legislation. Over the coming months, he would advise two different mayors as the city went through a truncated and highly contentious special election to replace Lee. As health officials scrambled last March with shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jason Elliott wastacklinganother seemingly overwhelming problem: How do we keep the more than 100,000 Californians sleeping on our streets from dying of the virus? A: I remember it was a Sunday afternoon and I was walking my dog and I got a call from our then chief of staff Ann OLeary and she said I need you at (the Office of Emergency Services) right now. From 2006 to 2010, she served four administrations in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Jason Elliott, Newsom's top housing advisor, said it is up to the legislative leaders to determine the mechanism for implementation, but requested urgency to codify the law by July 1. Castillo said the anti-poverty group will remain opposed to the CARE Court framework unless lawmakers address the concerns outlined in the letter, especially the plans failure to address access to housing and its insistence on empowering judges to mandate care. During a panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly on Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsom's top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. Those who would qualify are characterized by experts as the hardest to reach and most difficult to treat, largely because they have a variety of complex needs and are often hesitant to trust government intervention. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution . Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. Jason Elliott: So for me, nobody takes a job of chief of staff thinking youre going to be the one who has to call the president of the Board of Supervisors at 1 in the morning. Housing | Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. And he was a friend and a mentor, so it must have been an incredibly difficult thing emotionally. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. Jason Elliott had been chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for only about six months when he got the call last December that Lee was in the hospital. Because people just want to get people inside off the streets, Klasky-Gamer said. The panels chairman, Assembly Member Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), said in a statement that he shared many of the concerns raised by the opponents about the CARE Court bills.. Elliott spoke with this news organization about those programs, how they started, and where we go from here. And that was not its intention. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court, Newsoms new push for homeless mental health treatment lacks details. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? Health | Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. The program would allow family members, behavioral health providers and first responders to ask civil court judges to order a clinical evaluation and, if necessary, implement a plan for a person in need. Yes, it has. Housing | LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases Tell me about that transition and sort of what your role has been. Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? In response, Jason Elliott, Newsom's top advisor on homelessness, said "every effort would be made to get them indoors." . Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? Elliott acknowledged the state's behavioral health system has . Some other highlights from the discussion: On home prices, Svec refrained from calling Californias housing market a bubble. She expects the housing market will remain much more stable this time around than after the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and doesnt expect prices to drop anytime soon. Elliott was joined on the virtual panel, moderated by CalMatters, by Jennifer Svec, legislative advocate for the California Association of Realtors; Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from the East Bay; and Adam Fowler, research director at Beacon Economics, all of whom agreed that a supply shortage was largely responsible for ballooning home prices. As senior counselor to Gov. And the type of housing available is just as important as how much of it there is, said L.A. Family Housing President and CEO Stephanie Klasky-Gamer. Standing next to the governor on . Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? He is married to Nicole Elliott, director of the state Department of Cannabis Control. So, in the course of just a few months you had three different mayors that you served as chief of staff. He highlighted $12 billion in the governors budget proposal for housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. And making sure as the city was grieving, as we personally were grieving, that people getting up the next morning could go and get on Muni, and if they called 911 that the police would show up, and if they wanted to go to the park, that the park would be open. And at that point, we were modeling a 56% attack rate for the virus, meaning that we expected 56% of Californians would get coronavirus at some point during the outbreak. Were heading down the same path here, Elliott said. California has about 30,000 to 35,000 shelter beds on any given night, almost all of which are filled. Logman is a Democrat. (Courtesy of Jason Elliott) Jason Elliott had been chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for only about six months when he got the call last December that Lee was in the hospital. Timing is also a key decision for Newsom. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. He is married to Nicole Elliott, director of the state Department of Cannabis Control. We expected to have hard conversations with entrenched stakeholders.. No, of course not. Hebegan his careerat the State Capitolas a legislativeaide to State Senator FranPavley. The program would be voluntary and include assistance from both a public defender and a so-called supporter, a person who would serve as a personal guide through the recovery process. He said the governor would generally support any move to change the default to yes on more housing. Steer more federal dollars into homeless response. "x|.gpr9w5+9VD34[1d3 k=D.$Y+P&@H)1IPv&cN}`r=(s6hYp4r>]dV>:pvV5R"F-"0%4X=?>RYQ;:h]"{A'`MW;J With this $1.75 billion (the governor proposed spending $1.75 billion on homeless housing, including $750 million to continue Homekey) we want to create this momentum behind Homekey and not have it be a one-time thing. Elliott, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University, has been with Newsom for years, working for him when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco and lieutenant governor. During a panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly on Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. For all we knew, this was going to happen in a matter of weeks. Gavin Newsom. Swide is a Democrat. Sabelhaus is a Democrat. We have lost people back to the streets out of Project Roomkey. Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing advisor, said it is up to the legislative leaders to determine the mechanism for implementation, but requested urgency to codify the law by July 1. But the question is are we doing better than previous models? The state hasstruggled to get tenants and landlords to enrollin existing benefits. Local governments face sanctions if they do not comply with program requirements. Concerns about rising crime and the homelessness crisis emerged as the top issues driving voter dissatisfaction with Gov. She wasthe Director ofExternal Affairs at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento from 2013 to 2015 and was Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. from 2011 to 2013. We worked 25 hours a day to design what eventually become Project Roomkey. The governors new plan to create a court-ordered treatment effort is being sharply criticized by anti-poverty groups and civil libertarians. Elliott sidestepped another question, about whether the administration would seek to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, which is set to end June 30, as the state doubles its rent relief funds with an additional $2.6 billion from the federal government. Project Roomkey has sheltered more than 35,000 homeless Californians in hotels and motels throughout the state, giving people over 65 or with medical conditions a safer place to ride out the pandemic. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this. What was the most difficult thing about navigating that? 1. Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. Pasadena to terminate local COVID-19 orders this month Gavin Newsom. That's how many homes the Legislature has mandated California cities to plan for by 2030, and Newsom's team is making sure they do. %PDF-1.7 % And then the high risk factor you apply to that population. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? Q: Describe what it was like in the governors office when the pandemic hit and you realized we could be dealing with a potentially devastating health crisis for our homeless population? Some were really good and some were not so good. She graduated from American University with a BA degree in literature with a minor in journalism. Dee Dee Myers, another . This is a part-time position and does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation $81,897. Ive been really encouraged by the warm embrace of local leaders on Homekey. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. And it was one of the hardest days and some of the hardest weeks of my life, and I hope will be the hardest weeks of my life. "California is responding to a crisis," tweeted Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor for housing and homelessness. He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more. . Newsoms administration believes that 7,000 to 12,000 people could qualify for the court-ordered care, a fraction of the estimated 161,000 people experiencing homelessness in California. She also served as a legislative assistant in the Office of State Senator Mark Leno, and as acapital fellow in the Office of State Senator Denise MorenoDucheny. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor. Housing | He spearheaded two programs that together wound up being one of the states biggest feats during the unprecedented pandemic. His sister is deputy chief of staff for the mayor of New Orleans and his cousin, who he grew up with, was chief of staff for the mayor of Portland. And they argued the plan relies on a variety of concepts that are not clearly defined in the proposed legislation or in California law, which will result in confusion and inconsistent application of CARE Courts across the state. Read More. The proposal is so new there aren't many details. Newsom calls for spending $12 billion more to end homelessness in California. Its a part of the population that has been suffering and languishing for so long, many of whom have been on the streets for literally years and years and some decades and at great peril to themselves, Sherin said. Instead, California should invest in evidence-based practices that are proven to work and that will actually empower people living with mental health disabilities on their paths to recovery and allow them to retain full autonomy over their lives without the intrusion of a court.. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? Gavin Newsom. The CARE Court proposal promises behavioral health treatment, medication and a housing plan as tools to stabilize participants who struggle with addiction and untreated psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, for up to two years. We believe the answer is yes, and we are in the process now of doing some program evaluation to be able to back that up with data. Yes, it has. Jason Elliott Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? California's gas tax is 51.1 cents per gallon, the second highest in the nation. Newsom touted the CARE Court framework last month as an innovative strategy to guide an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 people into housing and much-needed treatment. And in this case, Homekey works. Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? Governor Newsom had previously announcedAna J.Matosantosas Cabinet Secretary,Jason Elliott as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Executive Branch Operations, and Angie Wei as Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Policy Development. With a key legislative deadline next week, Newsoms housing adviser speaks about the governors priorities on affordable housing.