Assemblyman Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) announced the introduction of Assembly Bill 257, which would prohibit homeless encampments within 500 feet of schools, daycare centers, parks, and libraries.
“As our local communities work toward mental health and housing solutions on homelessness, it is critical that the Legislature act to ensure our most sensitive public spaces are kept safe,” said Assemblyman Hoover. “No parent should be afraid to let their kids walk to school or worry about finding needles in the park where their children play, but that is the current experience for far too many families across our state. This legislation would change that.”
Last year several cities in California, including Sacramento and Los Angeles, voted for similar measures at the local level. Since 2019 homelessness in Sacramento County has grown by 67%, recently surpassing San Francisco for the first time.
As a new member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Assemblyman Hoover also plans to propose an audit of statewide homelessness spending in the near future to provide more accountability and determine which programs are effective at reducing homelessness.
Josh Hoover was recently elected to represent Assembly District 7, which includes the cities of, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and the unincorporated communities of Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, Gold River, Mather, McClellan Park, North Highlands, Orangevale, and Rosemont.