California’s homeless shelter investigation inspires new legislation

By a CalMatters investigating reporter reporter Lauren Hepler:

Will add a new state bill More supervision of homeless shelters in California after a Investigation of CalMatters exposed The fact that many taxpayer -funded facilities are struck by violence, mismanagement and low rearrangement levels.

Assembly Bill 750 It will upgrade an existing state law, which should have added basic checks on the safety and sewage of the homeless shelter.

It seems that cities and cities must check the shelters and report to the state after receiving complaints. But ours Reporting is reported Only nine of more than 500 cities in California have filed reports from mid -last year.

The new measure would add “teeth” to the law, author and Aselimov member Sharon Quirk-Silva He said that annual shelter inspections, new complaint processes, and more ranked financial penalties were required for communities that fail to submit compulsory reports. Quirk-Silva, a democrat, which is parts of the Orange and Los Angeles counties, credits Calmatters reporting as an inspiration.

• Quirk-Silva: “Indeed, part of your work brought us this number of non -programming. The numbers have definitely shown that we have very little compliance.”

The advocates emphasize that the proposal will not deal with some serious problems in the shelters. There is still a serious lack of homes at affordable prices to move the shelter residents, and the bill focuses on the construction and safety codes. This may limit resorting to other issues raised in the shelter records, including allegations of fraud, sexual offenses and facilities that shoot more people than accommodate.

• Eva GarowSenior ACLU Policy and ACLA advocate of Southern California: “This bill is definitely not at all concerned with these other forms of abuse and abuse, and sometimes a crime. We need other forms of accountability. It really is still the Wild West.”

The State Agency, which monitors the shelter, reports, the California Department of Housing and Community development, said it did not comment on the proposed legislation. The Committee on Housing and Community development is expected to listen to the bill soon, and Quirk-Silva said that more analysis of the potential costs of implementing the measure is forthcoming.

The toxic fumigant associated with increased health risks is Used by four fumigating facilities In the city of Compton and a neighborhood in Los Angeles in San Pedro, staff at the southern coast of the air announced Thursday.

Calm Alejandra Reyes-Bellarde He explains that methyl bromide is used by companies to kill harmful pests on imported fruits and vegetables. California health officials classified the chemical as a reproductive toxicity that can harm developing babies in the womb. High levels of short -term exposure can cause headaches and nausea, while exposure over a year or more can lead to neurological effects, such as difficulty in training and memory.

For months, some residents in Long Beach, another city in La County, have known about Methyl Bromid: in January, they learned that the other two facilities near a primary school, potentially emit dangerous levels of chemicals – five years after it was first discovered by air officials.

• Theral GoldenLongtime Long Beach resident and community defender: “How to find out what causes your illness? We have to be in a crisis regime and everyone wants to behave as everything is right.”

Local air quality regulators have not analyzed the health risks of methyl bromide in nearby communities, and employees say they have no plans to monitor the air near San Pedro and Compton’s facilities.

Read more hereS

During his first year of service, governor Gavin Newo signed a law that called for the creation of a system for educational data to track the progress of students. But approximately a year after the public was expected to have access to some of the data, The project remains behind the schedulewrites Calmatters’ Adam EchelmanS

Thehe A data system from swing to career is a perennial project for $ 24 million, which collects data from California pre-school schools, K-12 regions, colleges and job training programs. The data will be used by:

• Parents to see the results of college and employment in the local neighborhoods of elementary schools;
• Schools and councilors for colleges to provide more specific advice to students;
• State programs to target what the population or regions need more assistance.

The team behind the project initially stated that some of its data would be available until the spring of 2024, which were then pushed to fall 2024. Now a data spokesman said the data would be publicly available this spring, although no date was specified.

• Alex BarriosPresident of the partnership for educational results, a non -profit purpose for education: “This was an initiative to sign the manager. You would think that taxpayers would ask:” Where is this thing? “

Read more to know the reasons for the delay.

Last month Calmatters’ Ben Christopher reported The Adam Hardsty saga, The owner of Carlsbad, who decided to turn his garage into an apartment the size of a pint for the objections of the Association of Housing Owners.

Hardesty claims that the state law, which encourages the development of residential units as a decision from the bottom up to the shortage of dwellings in California, is on his side. Hoa disagreed, warning Hardesty that he was at risk of “legal consequences and unnecessary costs.”

These legal consequences have arrived. On Wednesday, Hardesty received a notice that Hoa was judging him for a breach of the contract.

We will keep you posted as the legitimate battle continues.