By Gary Warth
Feb. 25, 2026
The first two months of 2026 saw new and continuing bills to address homelessness, including proposed bonds that could raise $10 billion for affordable housing and another $1 billion bond to house homeless youths.
The new year also has seen a setback for one new law related to homeless enforcement.
In February, Superior Court Judge Curtis Kin struck down the city of Los Angeles’ plan to tow and destroy abandoned recreational vehicles, an action local authorities believed they could do under a new law created after Gov. Newsom signed Assembly Bill 630 in October. Kin ruled the bill did not give the city the authority to tow the vehicles.
AB-630 was introduced by Mark González, a Democrat from Los Angeles, and was intended to rid abandoned RVs from streets in Alameda and LA counties by making it harder to buy them at auctions.
Throughout the state, the existing law allows public entities to tow and destroy RVs valued at $500 or less, while anything of greater value has to be sold at auction. AB-630 raised the threshold from $500 to $4,000 in Alameda and LA counties.
González said the bill was focused on keeping drug dealers, prostitution rings and others from using old RVs for criminal activities. Opponents, however, argued that the definition of “abandoned” was vague and the new law could force homeless people from their vehicles and into the street where they would face harsher conditions.
AB-630 was opposed by Disability Rights California, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, ACLU California Action and the California Public Defenders Association, but it had strong support from legislators and passed unanimously in the Assembly and Senate.
While it was limited to just two counties, the bill was seen as a possible model for other areas to follow, and it was supported by the cities of San Diego, Riverside, San Francisco and the California Contract Cities Association and Big City Mayor’s Coalition.
Noting that AB-630 was specific to just two counties, Kin wrote in his Feb. 19 ruling that the bill did not give the city of Los Angeles authority to tow and destroy the vehicles.
The city of LA still might be able to tow abandoned RVs with another bill introduced by González, however.
Assembly bill 647 has much of the same wording as AB-630, but also authorizes “any public agency within the counties of Alameda and Los Angeles” to tow and destroy RVs valued at $4,000 or less.
AB-647 was passed by the Assembly 68-0 in January, and was read for the first time in the state Senate on Jan. 27.
SB-417 and AB-736, The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026.
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks from Oakland introduced Assembly Bill 736 and Sen. Christopher Cabaldon of Napa Valley introduced Senate Bill 417 in February to create bond measures to ask voters to raise $10 billion for affordable housing.
The bills proposed by the Democratic legislators would fund several programs to create affordable rental housing for lower-income families, homeownership opportunities and supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Housing California, a nonprofit that advocates for the prevention and end of homelessness and for more affordable housing, supports both bills.
SB-492, Youth Housing Bond Act of 2026
Originally introduced in February 2025 by San Fernando Valley Democratic Sen. Caroline Menjivar, Senate Bill 492 passed the state Senate with a vote of 30-9 on Jan. 27 to advance to the Assembly.
If adopted, the bill will ask voters in November to support a $1 billion bond to house homeless youths.
The Youth Housing Bond Act of 2026, seen as a successor to the $4 billion Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018, would finance the Youth Housing Program and make awards to local agencies, nonprofit organizations, and joint ventures to acquire, renovate, build and purchase equipment for youth centers or youth housing.
SB-1091 Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program.
Introduced in February by Sen. Anna Caballero, Senate Bill 1091 passed the Senate Housing Committee on a vote of 10-0.
The bill would establish the Community Anti-Displacement and Preservation Program to fund the acquisition and rehabilitation of unrestricted housing units that have no government-mandated limitations on rent prices with a goal of stabilizing and bolstering the state’s affordable housing market.
Long long-term affordability restrictions would be attached to the housing units, and current residents would not be displaced.
The bill would authorize the department to issue grants or loans to local public entities that would issue loans to private sector entities that would manage the properties for five years.
AB-1165, California Housing Justice Act of 2025
Originally introduced in February 2025 by Los Angeles Democratic Mike Gipson, Assembly Bill 1165 passed the Assembly on Jan. 29 and would create the California Housing Justice Act of 2025.
Under the new act, the Department of Housing and Community Development would be required to create finance plans to solve homelessness and the housing unaffordability crisis and to create related statewide performance metrics.
The Department of Housing and Community Development is responsible for administering the Multifamily Housing Program, the Housing for a Healthy California Program and the California Emergency Solutions Grants Program, among other duties.
AB-2162 Housing: county funding allocations: nonminor dependents and young adults
Introduced Feb.18 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat from Los Angeles County, Assembly Bill 2162 would revise reporting requirements and eligibility age for young adults receiving certain funds from the state Housing and Community Development Department.
Existing law requires the department to provide, under the Transitional Housing Program and the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program, funding to counties to to help young adults ages 18 to 24 secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults formerly in the state’s foster care or probation systems.
The bill would extend the eligibility ages from 24 to 28 years old for both programs.
Existing law also requires a child welfare agency that accepts funding from either program to report certain data to the department on an annual basis, including specified information relating to the number of homeless youth served and the number of former or current foster youth served, as defined.
This bill would revise those reporting requirements to instead require information about the number of young adults served, including the number of young adults formerly in the state’s foster care or probation system and would require additional information to be reported under the Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program related to housing vouchers.
SB-967, Planning and zoning: housing element: housing units: acutely low income households.
Sen. Catherine Blakespear, a Democrat from Encinitas, introduced Senate Bill 967 in February to encourage development of low-income housing by expanding the definition of a housing unit to include interim housing..
The bill would allow cities to receive credit in their Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process for building or zoning interim housing. Currently, cities receive credit only for permanent housing.
RHNA is a state-mandated planning requirement that sets housing targets across income levels. Jurisdictions that fail to meet those targets can face fines, lawsuits and the loss of infrastructure funding.
AB-2320, Multifamily Housing Program: Homekey: adaptive reuse
Assemblymember Tri Ta, a Republican from Orange County, introduced Assembly Bill 2320 in February to expand how Homekey funds are used.
Homekey funds can be used by local public entities to purchase and convert motels, hotels, hostels or other property into housing. AB-2320 would allow the funds to be used to convert privately owned buildings into residences that would house people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
AB-2351 General plan: annual report: shelter beds
Assembly Bill 2351 was introduced in February by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, a Democrat from Alameda County, to require shelter beds to be part of a public entity’s general plan.
The Planning and Zoning Law now requires cities and counties to provide annual reports to the state on its general plan.
AB-2351 would require the report to include detailed information on homeless shelter beds as a way to improve accountability, tracking and transparency on the city’s or county’s capacity to serve its homeless population.
AB-2766 Public postsecondary education: student housing: foster youth and homeless youth
Assembly Bill 2766 was introduced in February by Patrick Ahrens, a Democrat from San Francisco.
The bill is designed to support current and former foster youth and homeless youth attending public colleges and universities by improving housing stability and increasing resources.
The schools already are requested to give priority to current and former foster youths and homeless youths, and AB-2766 would make the priority a requirement.
The bill also would require the schools to include in housing applications questions designed to identify students who may be eligible for priority housing. Housing-related costs would be deferred for eligible students.
AB-1708, “The Pathway to Cities Act,” Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program: Round 7
Introduced Feb. 4 by José Luis Solache Jr., a Democrat from Los Angeles, Assembly Bill 1708 would require Continuums of Care that receive Round 7 HHAP funding to prioritize allocation of funds to jurisdictions with populations less than 300,000.
During an initial period of 30 days for round 7 funding, a continuum of care would accept only applications from smaller jurisdictions determined to be eligible.
The CoC would evaluate applications and give priority to small jurisdictions that agree to utilize round 7 funding in partnership with a nonprofit, another smaller jurisdiction or other private organizations eligible for funding.
If funding remains after the awards are made, the CoC would accept and evaluate other eligible applicants.
To be eligible for the funding, the bill states small jurisdictions would have a compliant housing element and have adopted a local encampment policy. They also would be committed to participating in and complying with the regionally coordinated homeless action plan, and mayors would have to sign a memorandum of understanding that reflects the regionally coordinated homelessness action plan.
The jurisdictions also would have to demonstrate how their past actions and appropriation of funds have served the goals of the regionally coordinated homelessness action plan and the intent of the HHAP program.
The bill was referred to the Housing and Community Development Committee and the Committee on Human Services on Feb. 23 and may be heard for the first time on March 7.
San Diego County has 18 incorporated cities, and all but the city of San Diego have a population of less than 300,000.
HHAP, the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, is a block grant program that provides flexible, one-time funding to address homelessness, with a focus on regional coordination, permanent housing and prevention.HHAP Round 7 will appropriate $500,000 in funds.
SB-479 Homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel teams
Introduced in February 2025 by Sen. Jesse Arreguín, a Democrat representing Alameda and Contra Costa counties, Senate Bill 479 was passed by the Senate on Jan. 26 and forwarded to the Assembly.
The bill would allow a city to establish a homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel team if the city is designated as a local health jurisdiction. Counties already have the authority to establish the teams.
A multidisciplinary personnel team consists of two or more professionals from different disciplines such as medical or social work who work together on a common goal. Team members can share information, expertise and other responsibilities to provide comprehensive care or services.
A homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel team will be able to assess and link homeless people to housing and support services families faster and allow team members to share confidential information, according to language in the bill.
AB-1573 Land use: housing elements: target population
Introduced Jan. 12 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat from Los Angeles County, Assembly Bill 1573 would expand the definition of “target population” in a city or county’s housing element to include victims of domestic violence.
The Planning and Zoning Law requires a city or county to adopt a general plan for land use development that includes a housing element containing specified information, including an analysis of its special housing, emergency shelter, and supportive housing needs.
Existing law defines the term “target population” to include certain persons, including persons with low incomes who have one or more disabilities and individuals eligible for specified developmental disability services.
SCR-131, Housing: functional zero unsheltered homelessness
Senate Concurrent Resolution 131, proposed in February by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, would urge the governor, relevant state agencies, and all local governments to adopt an urgent and coordinated approach to achieving functional zero unsheltered homelessness statewide, as specified.
Intent bills
Intent bills serve as placeholders that allow lawmakers to introduce proposed laws without specific language so they can make deadlines and legislate on topics in the future.
SB-1016, Transitional housing bond
Sen. Catherine Blakespear introduced Senate Bill 1016 in February.
The intent bill would ensure interim housing is included in the Affordable Housing Bond Act.
AB-1899 Office of Youth Homelessness Prevention.
Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, a Democrat from Los Angeles, introduced Assembly Bill 1899 in February.
The intent bill would create an Office of Youth Homelessness Prevention under the new California Housing and Homelessness Agency.
AB-1924 Statewide homelessness prevention strategy
Introduced in February by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat from San Fernando Valley, Assembly Bill 1924 is an intent bill that would require the California Housing and Homelessness Agency to develop a statewide homelessness prevention strategy and model homelessness prevention practices.
SB-866, Emergency and Interim Shelter Capacity Act
Introduced in January by Sen. Catherine Blakespear, Senate Bill 866 would create the Emergency and Interim Shelter Capacity Act.
The intent bill states that governing bodies are allowed to declare a shelter crisis and take action when there is not enough shelter space to meet a need, creating a health and safety threat. The bill also states that public facilities can be used as shelters when a crisis is declared.
AB-1880, Pink Alert
Assembly Bill 1880 was proposed in February by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, a Democrat from Los Angeles.
The intent bill would create a Pink Alert to notify law enforcement, emergency services, homeless shelters and nonprofits that there is a pregnant person in need of shelter or prenatal services.
AB-1556 The Supportive-Recovery Residence Program
Assembly Bill 1556 was introduced in January by Assemblymember Matt Haney, a Democrat from San Francisco.
The intent of the bill is to enact legislation relating to the Supportive-Recovery Residence Program.
Federal Bills
HR 1957, End Veteran Homelessness Act of 2025
House of Representatives Bill 1957 would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to furnish case management to certain veterans who are eligible for the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers.
The bill’s cosponsors include California representatives Mike Levine and Maxine Waters and was introduced in March 2025 and forwarded by subcommittee to full committee on Feb. 24.
Specifically, the VA must furnish case management to veterans eligible for VASH vouchers and who the VA determines are in need of case management. Vulnerable homeless veterans will be given priority when assigning case managers and providing services.
HUD or a public housing authority may not revoke assistance if a veteran has refused case management, and a veteran may not be evicted or penalized by the owner of a property solely on the basis that they have refused case management or cannot be provided case management for health and safety reasons.
The bill also expands eligibility for the HUD-VASH program to any veteran who is homeless, at risk of homelessness, or receiving assistance under another housing assistance program if the VA determines a VASH voucher is more appropriate.
