Welcome to The California Weekly, your Saturday morning recap of top stories and announcements you might have missed.

News you might have missed

1. SAFEGUARDING CONSUMERS & LEGAL CANNABIS

Building on efforts to support consumer safety and California’s legal cannabis market, Governor Newsom announced that California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) recently seized close to $23 million in illicitly cultivated cannabis in East Oakland. The searches also led to the seizure of more than $10,000 in cash, as well as over 3,000 pounds of illicit cannabis flower.

2. PROGRESS MADE IN TACKLING HOMELESSNESS

Bucking national trends and outperforming a majority of other states, California continues to blunt decades-long increases in homelessness. While the rate increased in 2024 by more than 18% nationwide, California increased by 3%. This is a lower rate than in 40 other states. With more shelter available than ever before, the state continues to lead the charge in urgently getting people off the street and connected to care and shelter, dramatically slowing the increase in unsheltered homelessness statewide.

3. SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA’S OLDER ADULTS

As the new year gets underway, a critical resource for California’s older adults remains available: Friendship Line California. This is a 24/7 resource available for older adults who need someone to talk to that is free, and confidential. More resources are available here.

4. BUILDING MORE HOUSING

Continuing the Newsom Administration’s focus on building more housing, including affordable and supportive, Heritage Living broke ground on a 36-bed facility in Bakersfield. This project is funded by the Community Care Expansion program, a key piece of Governor Newsom’s approach to helping people get the support and care they need in a stable environment. This facility will offer housing & support for older adults facing homelessness.

Here’s what we’re reading

DROP SITE NEWS: “the Hoover Institution has now had to retract six articles based on faulty research” regarding California’s economy, job numbers, & fast-food employment.

By the numbers

• .45% - California is one of the few states that have dramatically blunted the increases in unsheltered homelessness, holding nearly flat at .45%.
• 208,794 - the number of year-round shelter beds available across the state. California’s year-round shelter bed capacity grew by 5.9%, from 2023 – more than any other state in the nation.
• 1,279 - fewer veterans in California are experiencing homelessness compared to last year, marking the largest decline across the country.

LAST WEEK'S EDITION