Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing

With over one billion dollars spent since 2018, homeless shelters in California are proving “deadlier than jails,” according to an in-depth investigation by CalMatters, in association with the Associated Press. After the full investigation was released on February 25, AP summarized the seven top findings. According to the AP’s Lauren Helper, California’s temporary shelters have become a “housing purgatory” with dangerous conditions, where people often don’t get the help they need to find long-term housing.  

The seven key findings of the report, also authored by Helper, include: 

1. 1. “Local and state officials bet big on shelters” as the default answer to homelessness, especially after the Supreme Court’s blessing to ban sleeping outside. The number of emergency beds in California has doubled since 2018 and is still only enough to serve a third of the homeless population. 
2. 2. “Shelters are deadlier than jails” with annual shelter deaths tripling between 2018 and 2024. 
3. 3. “Inside shelters, chaos frequently breaks loose” with everything from black mold to hired security guards committing sex crimes. 
4. 4. “Fewer than 1 in 4 people who cycle through shelters move into a permanent home,” opening questions about the efficacy of the model as it relates to the stated goal. 
5. 5. “Scandals have plagued fast-growing shelter operators” bringing in millions of dollars while undergoing accusations of fraud, violence, sexual misconduct and more. 
6. 6. “Local and state oversight is failing” with cities and counties ignoring laws that require them to report on problematic conditions. 
7. 7. “Experts say there are several potential solutions” like direct rent assistance, specialized sober living options, and several other programs intended to permanently end homelessness.

Read AP’s summary, which links to the full investigation, below.