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3w ago

Newsom Vetoes California Bill Allowing Homelessness Funds for Sober Housing

Backers say cities still lack clear authority to fund drug‑free housing.

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill that S.F. officials said would help expand sober housing for the homeless. 
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie had been hopeful that a state bill could help the city use state funds for sober housing for the homeless, but Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill.
Rebecca Byrd, 58, puts the cap back on the needle after using fentanyl in Willow Alley in San Francisco. The city is pushing for more sober housing for homeless people. 
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Overview

  • Assembly Bill 255 would have let local governments direct up to 10% of state homelessness funding to recovery housing that is drug‑free by design.
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom said the measure was unnecessary and would create a duplicative, costly program, pointing to state guidance he says already permits funding for recovery housing.
  • The governor’s office referenced a July 2025 final guidance clarifying that state money can support sober housing when abstinence is a participant’s choice, which Haney’s office said it had not seen until reporters requested clarification.
  • The bill proposed a new state certification and oversight system for recovery housing with an estimated first‑year cost of about $4.12 million, with fees unlikely to fully offset expenses.
  • Supporters, including San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, warned the veto could slow efforts to expand drug‑free options and noted AB255 included protections so residents would not be evicted solely for relapse.