Fresno praised for work combating homelessness, receives more funding

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An audit released earlier this month provided a scathing review of the state's oversight of efforts to tackle homelessness.

Over the past five years, the state spent 24 billion dollars to tackle homelessness; however, the effectiveness and outcomes of the programs haven't been tracked, according to the audit.

The report also found that the California Inter-Agency Council on Homelessness stopped tracking program spending in 2021.

Governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday that the state will expand California's Housing Accountability Unit to include more aggressive enforcement of housing laws and reassign personnel to the unit.

Although state oversight appears to be lacking, Fresno leaders and organizations receiving the funds say they hold themselves accountable.

"We work hand in hand with the city of Fresno," said Zack Darrah, Poverello House CEO.

"Every single penny and dollar is, is scrutinized all the way to the you know, to this receipt, or that receipt, typically going through 1,000s of pages, every single month of what dollars are being spent on and what the impacts are of those dollars."

On Thursday, it was announced that Fresno would receive another 10.9 million dollars in Encampment Resolution Fund, or ERF grants.

Mayor Jerry Dyer and Governor Newsom say the additional funding is a testimony to the quality of work being done in Fresno and their accounting for the work.

"It really speaks to our efforts; our successes," said Dyer.

"Over the last three years we've housed 3,445 homeless people in our community, and that's a good feeling. Apparently, we have 800 in our shelters, but we have a long way to go still."

"That's really the spirit of of driving this partnership of accountability we take that accountability seriously ourselves but we need to promote that at the county levels and the city levels," said Newsom. "Jerry does not need to be told that he's done an extraordinary job in Fresno."

Poverello House has been the steward of ERF funds. Darrah said they take that responsibility incredibly seriously.

"The work we do every single day, we're seeing people's lives are transformed person by person by person," said Darrah.

"And this funding from the state has made generational impacts in our community and Fresno."

With the latest funding Fresno will have received more than $33 million in Encampment Resolution Funds.

The mayor says the money will be used to build another 95 emergency shelter beds over the next two years and hire 16 more employees.

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