Tipsheet

With Stories Like This, It's Easy to See How Gavin Newsom Wasted Billions on 'Combating' Homelessness

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  March 17, 2026 4:00 PM

For the last two decades, California Governor Gavin Newsom has vowed to tackle homelessness in the state. This predates his time as governor, going back to his stint as the mayor of San Francisco. In the last 20 years, however, not only has Newsom failed to tackle homelessness (the problem has gotten worse, and California leads the nation in homelessness), but he's spent tens of billions of dollar to exacerbate the problem.

It's easy to see why, with stories like this out of Los Angeles. There, officials bought a Ramada Inn for $10.2 million. They planned to use it to house the homeless. Now, four years and $20 million later, the property sits vacant and unfinished.

The entire post reads:

For years, neighbors say construction has been slow. Where are the workers? Where is the urgency? — For almost 4 years, the property has sat unfinished. Why does it take so long and such a waste of money, there's nothing to even show for it.

"Why does it take so long, it's such a waste of money," said concerned neighbor Brennan Lindner. "There's nothing to even show for it."

The NGO, PATH, took nearly two years to get permits approved and then needed more money for 32 units.

Right next to the building is a pile of used toilet paper and a homeless encampment. Now officials are saying this will open by the end of the year.

"We keep hearing from our local electeds that we're in a crisis," said another unnamed citizen. "Well, where's the urgency? We have 30 rooms here that should have been open for the last six years."

This citizen also isn't optimistic that the place will open on time, if at all. "Last year, they said it was going to open in spring. And then in winter they said it was going to open in summer. And if you take a look around, I bet you it won't be open next summer."

Because Democrats have a supermajority in the state.

This addresses an issue with homelessness. These aren't people who simply don't have a place to live. They have mental health issues, and many of them are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. They don't have the capacity to hold down a job or pay rent, and this place — absent strict rules against drug use and in favor of sanitation – will be trashed within a month of opening.

And Newsom wants to run for President to make America into California.

California is going to make Minnesota seem like a picnic.

That's exactly what the homeless industrial complex does: it goes from city to city, wastes money, and never solves the problem. There are no easy solutions to homelessness, but Democrats most definitely don't have the intestinal fortitude for enacting the policies that would work: returning to institutions, mandatory medicating, and mandatory treatment for addiction.