182,000 Californians Are Homeless. Sacramento Has 3 Bills to Watch.

182,000 Californians Still Have No Permanent Home

California counts roughly 182,000 unhoused residents, even after a slight improvement in 2024. As the state’s legislative session nears its close, a small set of bills targeting the homelessness crisis has survived the cut and is now heading toward final votes and Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

The three main bills address state-funded sober housing, RVs parked on city streets, and a new framework for homelessness prevention. Each one tests a different edge of California’s existing “housing first” policy, which provides shelter without requiring residents to stay sober or enter treatment.

AB 1556 Would Finally Fund Sober Housing

The most closely watched bill is Assembly Bill 1556, carried by San Francisco Democrat Matt Haney. It would spell out the rules a sober housing provider must follow to qualify for state funding, including a written policy for handling resident relapses.

Haney ran a nearly identical bill last year. Newsom vetoed it, arguing that state guidelines already permitted sober housing funding. Haney’s response is blunt: those guidelines haven’t worked.

“A lot of people who are on the street right now or exiting shelter programs would prefer drug-free housing options. And right now there are few options, if any, for them.”

Assemblymember Matt Haney, San Francisco Democrat, June 2026

The evidence backs Haney up. According to CalMatters, no provider has used state funds for sober housing since Newsom’s veto, despite the administration’s claim that the door was already open. AB 1556 attempts to close that gap by writing explicit eligibility rules into statute.

Two More Bills Target RVs and Prevention

A second bill would give cities new authority to remove RVs parked on public streets, a flashpoint in many California communities where vehicle encampments have grown as rents have climbed. A third bill would require the state to build out a formal homelessness prevention plan, shifting some focus upstream toward keeping people housed before they lose their homes.

None of these bills are law yet. All three require final legislative votes and Newsom’s signature. Given his veto of Haney’s prior sober housing bill, AB 1556 faces the most uncertain path.

What You Can Do Now

Call Governor Newsom’s office at (916) 445-2841 and urge him to sign AB 1556. Tell his staff that no provider has used state sober housing funds since his 2025 veto, and that the current guidance is not working.
Contact your California state assemblymember and senator through the Legislature’s Find My District tool and ask them to vote yes on AB 1556 before the session closes. The final vote window is short.
Submit public comment to the Governor’s office at gov.ca.gov/contact before the session ends. Mention the 182,000 Californians still unhoused and ask Newsom to support all three homelessness bills moving through the Legislature.
Contact your city council and ask whether your city plans to use the new RV removal authority if it passes, and what alternative shelter options will be offered to displaced residents before any removals occur.

Sources

[Quote: “A lot of people who are on the street right now or exiting shelter programs would prefer drug-free housing options. And right now there are few options, if any, for them.”, Assemblymember Matt Haney, San Francisco Democrat.

CalMatters]