Xavier Becerra

But sometimes, Matt, it does help to have someone who knows how to enforce the law.

We didn't focus on outcomes.

The accountability wasn't there.

$24 billion was there, but the outcomes didn't result.

We didn't see that people were moved off the street fast enough.

We didn't provide the services they needed.

To me, the homelessness crisis is as much a mental health crisis as it is someone needing a place, a shelter.

And we didn't provide the types of resources to make sure we could stand people up and make sure they wouldn't go back to the streets.

I also believe that

that we have to do far more to prevent people from ever becoming homeless.

I don't have control of the streets of Los Angeles, of Oakland, or the counties as governor.

What I can control is the monies that we send and try to demand accountability.

But the most important thing I believe, and this is where I will focus as governor, is trying to help that person that is on the very edge of losing their housing, whether it's their home or their apartment that they're renting.

Because there are people who under some circumstances, you lose your job unexpectedly.

You're trying to get back to work and it's taking you a little longer.

You used up your savings.

You're on the verge now of losing your apartment that you're renting.

You have a medical emergency.

You break your piggy bank open.

You use it all up.