A placard asking for help hangs on Donald James' cart as he speaks with people from Central Mississippi Continuum of Care staff during a Point-in-Time Count in Jackson, Miss., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. PIT Count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in January.
California – A new bill aims to bring much-needed oversight to California’s homeless shelters after an investigation exposed widespread violence, mismanagement, and low success rates in taxpayer-funded facilities. The proposal follows years of reports detailing unsafe conditions and a lack of accountability in shelters that are meant to serve as stepping stones out of homelessness.
The bill builds on an existing state law that was supposed to enforce basic safety and sanitation standards, but most cities and counties have ignored it. Under the new proposal, local governments would be required to conduct annual inspections of publicly funded shelters. Those failing to correct violations or continuously ignoring mandatory reporting requirements could lose state funding. Shelter operators would also have to do more to educate residents about their right to file complaints.
California has spent over $1 billion since 2018 to more than double its emergency shelter beds, yet the need still far outstrips availability. The state has around 61,000 shelter beds—only a third of what’s needed for its homeless population. For those who do secure a spot, conditions can be grim: reports cite violence, theft, unsanitary conditions, and a lack of viable housing options for residents to transition into.
“We’re really new in this field of operating shelters in California,” said Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, who is leading the legislative push. “Local municipalities need to be responsible for upholding basic standards of care, ensuring that shelters are safe, well-managed, and serving their intended purpose.”
Quirk-Silva first proposed state monitoring after a 2019 ACLU report uncovered cases of sexual harassment, flooding, and infestations in Orange County shelters. A more recent CalMatters investigation revealed even more alarming issues statewide: stabbings, sex crimes, fraud, staff stealing from homeless clients, and shelters that eject more people than they house. While state law already requires local governments to inspect shelters and report complaints, only nine of California’s 500+ cities and counties have complied, according to public records obtained by CalMatters.
The new shelter bill, AB 750, will be reviewed by the California State Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development in the coming weeks. If passed, it could reshape how shelters are managed and funded, especially as cities rush to expand temporary housing while clearing street encampments.
Despite the effort to improve conditions, many advocates believe oversight alone won’t solve the larger issue. Fewer than one in four shelter residents move into permanent housing, with most cycling between shelters, jails, and hospitals. Some argue the state should focus more on long-term housing solutions rather than making shelters slightly safer. “We’re trying to make a broken system a little safer and cleaner,” said ACLU policy analyst Eve Garrow. “But what people actually need is safe, permanent housing they can afford.”
