The Times asked the candidates to respond to written questions about how they would address major issues if elected to the Legislature.
Gonzalez said he would tackle homelessness by making it easier to build affordable housing, converting commercial units into residential property and creating programs that give families access to capital so they can own a home.
“The homelessness crisis in California and L.A. County is out of control and demands urgent action from our elected leaders,” his campaign website states. Gonzalez has vowed to work with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to provide affordable housing, drug treatment, mental health and job training services to the homeless along with investing in a new framework in California that aims to connect people grappling with mental health and substance use with a court-ordered plan to address those issues for up to 24 months.
Yi also wants to make it easier to build more affordable housing. The candidate added he would increase mental health services and shelters in public spaces, parks and transit stops.
“We need to stop our neighbors from falling into homelessness with more rent control and relief to those on the edge of eviction,” Yi said in a statement. On his campaign’s website, Yi said he would invest in programs such as community land trusts and nonprofit community development organizations to spur the building of more affordable housing. Yi wants to repeal California laws that limit rent control, proposals that have so far failed in the Legislature and on the ballot.
Alaniz said she would address homelessness through better mental health services. She said she would support reopening mental health care facilities and increasing staffing but also expressed concern about the costs to taxpayers.
“We must help the unhoused in our communities but we must also be good stewards and manage the funds of the people,” she said in a statement. “I will also strive for accountability practices of the funding being spent on these programs.”
Californians will also vote on a $6.8-billion bond measure this year known as Proposition 1 that aims to address homelessness by funding more than 11,000 new treatment beds and supportive housing units along with mental health and drug addiction treatment. Gonzalez said he supports Proposition 1, while Alaniz said she opposes the measure. Yi said he was undecided.
