Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced a bill Tuesday which is set to help 134,000 homeless people find housing, officials said.

Senate Bill 333 is a measure to address California’s homeless crisis by requiring the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to develop and implement a long-term strategic plan to combat homelessness across the state, complete with specific goals and benchmarks, according to officials.

“Too many Californians are forced to live in such miserable, inhumane conditions, especially in areas like the high desert with extreme weather conditions,” said Wilk. “My bill will allow the state to take a significant step forward in ending this crisis and getting our most vulnerable community members back on their feet.”

In 2018, California had 134,000 residents without a home on any given night. The homeless population has spiked significantly in the past several years, according to data provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Senate Bill 333 stems from a report released last year by the California state auditor, who, at the request of Wilk and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, investigated California’s statewide efforts to solve the homeless problem and found a number of inadequacies, according to officials.

“I’m thankful to the auditor for shedding light on this critical issue and providing a clear and efficient solution,” Wilk said. “It is time that Californians see results from their hard-earned taxpayer dollars. This bill will hold state government accountable in its effort to address homelessness and ensure that not a single cent from the taxpayer goes to waste.”

The bill also addresses several recommendations from the state auditor’s report; specifically, the requirement to develop and implement a statewide, strategic plan to address homelessness in California.

This plan would include goals, objectives and timelines for achieving them, as well as metrics for measuring their achievements.

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