Daily Republic: Legislation calls for $2B in housing for low-income, homeless

Legislation born in January as a forest management plan bill is now a projected $2 billion homeless and low- to moderate-income housing proposal. Senate Bill 912, authored by Sens. Jim Beale, D-San Jose, and Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, was introduced Tuesday. “There can be no better investment than to immediately put these dollars to work to shelter the homeless, the aged, and children,” Beall, chairman of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, said in a statement. “Taking a portion of available revenue will help people today and still leave a sufficient rainy day fund for tomorrow.” The funds reportedly would come from a projected “higher-than-anticipated state revenue as a one-time investment,” a statement released by Beall’s office states. “Seeing the increasing numbers of tent cities and homeless encampments, it’s obvious we have an urgent issue that needs immediate attention,” Skinner added in the statement.