To address homelessness, we need affordable housing and addiction treatment
'California has spent billions on homelessness. Audit shows we haven't been tracking it | Opinion,' (modbee.com, April 11, 2024)
An audit done in 2024 revealed that the state spent $24 billion over five years to solve our homelessness crisis. Sacramento Homeless Union President Crystal Sanchez said recently that a real solution to homelessness is more affordable housing.
Proposition 1, passed last year, and CARE Court, established by Gov. Gavin Newsom, aim to address other root causes of homelessness by compelling treatment for mental illness, drug addiction and alcoholism.
Both these solutions are paramount to addressing the scourge of homelessness we see around us. We need shelter and jobs. We also cannot accept non-treatment of mental illness, drug addiction and alcoholism as merely 'lifestyle choices.'
Our society can have standards, allow for quirky eccentricities and honor those who flaunt convention without okaying behavior that adversely affects everyone.
Leslie Shaw Klinger
Modesto
'Trump's Medicaid cuts versus California's healthcare stance,' (modbee.com, May 15)
In the Republican's so-called 'big beautiful bill,' Medicaid is the biggest loser, and 13.7 million Americans will lose their health care.
We, the people, get no tax on tips and overtime. Meanwhile, the rich will pay less taxes thanks to President Donald Trump. This alone would increase our national deficit.
The nation's credit rating just got downgraded, and our interest rates and borrowing costs have increased. This bill would just make everything worse.
Elected officials making decisions for the rest of us are only benefitting the rich and defrauding every other American. It's much easier to please Trump and the Republican party than represent us — the majority who aren't rich enough to help officials get elected.
Diane Kroeze
Modesto
'Rooftop solar subsidies raise electricity costs in California,' (sacbee.com, May 16)
California has long established rooftop solar as a cornerstone of its energy and climate goals. Rooftop solar is a key tool in providing affordable housing for all, allowing middle class families to maintain control over their energy bills.
Assembly Bill 942, however, threatens to inject chaos into the housing market. Under the bill, new homeowners purchasing properties with existing solar installations would have their contracts retroactively changed to the less favorable Net Energy Metering 3.0. This would diminish the value of homes with solar panels to buyers and create unnecessary friction in the home sale.
For homebuilders, this is particularly problematic. AB 942 will create new housing market risks, exacerbating housing costs. While AB 942 claims to address energy 'affordability,' it will have the opposite effect.
California should be doing everything we can to help homebuyers enter into affordable and energy resilient homes. AB 942 undermines that goal.
Chris Ochoa
Senior counsel, California Building Industry Association
'Prison closure, Ozempic limit, cap-and-what? 5 takeaways from Gavin Newsom's budget,' (sacbee.com, May 16)
It would be a mistake for Gov. Gavin Newsom to restrict Medi-Cal coverage of weight loss drugs, like Zepbound and Wegovy.
Medi-Cal will continue GLP-1 coverage for diabetics, meaning California won't offer overweight Medi-Cal patients access to GLP-1 drugs to help them avoid becoming diabetic, but it will pay for these treatments once they put on so much weight that they develop the disease. This is illogical.
GLP-1 drugs will save Medi-Cal money. It is common sense that a person who is not obese or diabetic will need less medical care over time.
Hank Naughton
Clinton, Mass.
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