California’s New Deal to end homelessness
California has passed a new law to stop cities from punishing Case Managers who help the unhoused. Despite homelessness rates decreasing as a whole in 2025, over 200,000 unhoused individuals still live in the Golden State. Let’s break down the law, see how it plans to assist the unhoused, and what its implications will ultimately be.
How does this law help the unhoused?
California’s new law mainly focuses on legalizing and protecting the practices of case managers. Case managers are social workers who work 1 on 1 with those in the streets, providing access to shelters, food, and supplies. Case Managers work for either local governments or private shelters. This law intends to help Case Managers by allowing them to provide aid to the unhoused in illegal encampments.
This law overrides local authorities that have prevented Case Managers from providing aid to the unhoused who reside in illegal encampments. By doing this, case managers will face fewer hurdles when helping the unhoused and can ultimately make a larger impact.
Implications
Case managers continue to be the most effective aid to the unhoused, at least in my opinion. By allowing them to now work without fear of coming across law enforcement, they can hopefully aid those who need it most more efficiently. Remember, homelessness is a solvable issue - as long as we allow our solutions like case managers to properly do their jobs.