May Revision Misses the Mark on Homelessness, Public Safety Priorities

The Governor’s 2025-26 May Revision Budget Proposal spared counties from some of the most severe safety net cuts initially feared. This is a welcome shift — and a clear result of CSAC’s consistent and forceful advocacy on behalf of counties. Yet, while the proposal avoids some harm, it still fails to deliver on the priorities Californians care about most: reducing homelessness and reducing crime. 

Despite clear direction from constituents, the May Revision does not provide any funding to support counties’ efforts to reduce homelessness. Nor does it include any money to implement Proposition 36 — a ballot measure passed with nearly 70% support to address retail theft and expand mental health and substance use treatment. These are not optional programs; they are core to the state’s long-term health, safety and stability. Counties are on the front lines of this work, but we cannot do it alone. California must step up. 

A day after the governor criticized CSAC by name for simply stating that the state hasn’t done enough to reduce homelessness, President Griffiths reiterated our point. 

“We stand by every word of our previous statement: The state has not done everything it can to address homelessness in California, because it hasn’t addressed the two state-imposed barriers to progress,” Griffiths said. “Without shared responsibility and reliable funding, whatever California tries to do to reduce homelessness will fail.” 

“We’re hugely disappointed with the governor’s choice to abandon local efforts to fight homelessness,” added Tuolumne County Supervisor Ryan Campbell. “We in rural counties took a risk by investing heavily toward alleviating homelessness. The state implied we’d get funded for the long run. Now, we feel the rug has been pulled out from underneath us. It’s time for the state to be a true partner to counties and cities. California must enshrine clear responsibilities for each level of government into state law, and provide reliable resources so that successful local efforts don’t wither on the vine.” 

This week, CSAC also released a funding analysis that demonstrates how $29 billion in state funding for housing and homelessness has been spent over the last six fiscal years. More than half was for housing only, not homelessness. And nearly half went exclusively to housing developers. Just a quarter of that funding went to counties, and it arrived on a piecemeal, one-year-at-a-time basis. 

When it comes to implementing Proposition 36 — a measure that requires robust behavioral health and criminal justice services to meet increased demand — the budget once again falls short. Without flexible, reliable funding, counties cannot expand treatment programs, staff, and facilities to deliver the services voters expected. 

“We didn’t see eye to eye on Prop 36, but we both agree on this: nearly 70% of Californians voted yes, and the state budget must reflect the will of the people,” San Luis Obispo County Supervisor and CSAC Immediate Past President Bruce Gibson and Sacramento County Supervisor Rich Desmond said in a joint statement. “Every county is starting from a different place. Some need to scale up treatment programs, others need more staff or facilities — but all need flexible, reliable funding to implement Prop 36 effectively. That’s the only way to turn the promise of this measure into real, on-the-ground results.” 

The May Revision did include some welcome steps that reflect the kinds of practical solutions counties have long advocated for. For example, a proposal to fold two key bills that would streamline the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) bills into the state budget package. 

“California counties support both CEQA-streamlining bills that the state may fold into its budget package,” says Santa Clara County Supervisor and CSAC Second Vice President Susan Ellenberg. “Counties would also like to see streamlined development processes for transitional and permanent supportive housing projects so people experiencing homelessness can more quickly get into long-term housing and receive any needed support.”

CSAC is also pleased with the meaningful investment in public health — an area left out of the January budget proposal. 

“Our county public health departments are the backbone of California’s public health system,” says CEO Graham Knaus. “We appreciate the continued investment in local public health infrastructure and workforce, which is essential to protecting the health and well-being of all Californians.”

Still, major gaps remain. 

CSAC will continue to push hard in the weeks ahead as the Legislature and governor work toward a final budget by the California Constitution’s June 15th deadline, though negotiations often extend through the end of the month. We will also be calling on county supervisors to speak out — through testimony, media, and direct advocacy — to make it clear that counties need real partnership and real funding to meet the needs of their communities. 

For a full analysis, please see the Budget Action Bulletin.