NPH Priority Bill 2017: Housing for a Healthy California

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Bay Area voters stepped up for affordable housing funding in November 2016 in a big way. Now, the state must do its part too. NPH state priority bills will create more safe, affordable housing opportunities and options in the Bay and beyond. View the full NPH Affordable Housing Action Center here or read on for our bill spotlight: Housing for a Healthy California (AB 74: Chiu, Santiago, Mullin.)

Spotlight: Housing for a Healthy California

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Housing for a Healthy California (AB 74) was introduced by Assemblymembers Chiu (D-San Francisco) and Santiago (D-Los Angeles) and Speaker Pro Tem Mullin (D-San Mateo) as part of the State Assembly’s “Bring California Home” package for the 2017 legislative session. This bill will help prevent homelessness and improve health through a MediCal rental housing subsidy.

Housing for a Healthy California will:

  • Move people out of homelessness and into supportive housing by creating a “Housing for a Healthy California” program that would fund local programs to pay for rental assistance matched with services funding
  • Help reduce chronic homelessness and improve public health
  • Save public dollars by decreasing Medi-Cal costs


How AB 74 Works

Following similar, proven models, AB 74 would create a “Housing for a Healthy California” program that would fund local programs to pay for rental assistance matched with services funding, like the Medi-Cal Whole Person Care pilot or Health Home Program. This program would provide supportive housing for individuals facing chronic homelessness, reduce MediCal costs, and improve health outcomes.


Why AB 74 is the Right Solution

AB 74 can create real, sustainable progress for solving chronic homelessness in our region and across our state.

  • It’s necessary. Our state needs a new approach to break the cycle of homelessness. Studies show that this program would decrease Medi-Cal costs, produce improvements in clinical outcomes, and reduce homelessness.
  • It’s proven. AB 74 is based on successful models used in the State of New York and some local jurisdictions within California. These programs have demonstrated decreased costs and improved health and housing outcomes.
  • It’s sustainable. Given the health cost savings of the program, analysts find that this program would become fully sustainable after the 5- year program term.
  • It’s cost-effective. Supportive housing programs are extremely cost-effective, reducing health expenditures at rates of savings that exceed the cost of housing. 


What You Can Do to Support AB 74

 

Click here for the current status of AB 74.

Click here to download NPH’s AB 74 Fact Sheet.


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