SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California’s state auditor says the state has spent $13 billion in the last three years to tackle a massive homelessness problem likely to worsen with the pandemic. But State Auditor Elaine Howle says its approach is so fragmented and incomplete as to hinder efforts at getting people into stable housing. The state lacks a centralized way to track spending, so it’s unable to determine where efforts are duplicative. The governor’s office said the state homeless council is readying an action plan and statewide database for release next month. About 150,000 people in California are homeless. Lawmakers of both parties agreed with Howle’s recommendation for greater coordination at the state level.
