California Blamin'

No surprise: homelessness is growing nationwide. Perhaps a surprise: homelessness is falling in a "majority" of states. The Chronicle editorial board faces facts: [bold added]

From Dec. 16: homeless camp in Santa Rosa

the entire national increase and more can be attributed to California alone.

With a majority of states experiencing decreases in homelessness over the past year and only one small state, New Mexico, suffering a larger proportionate increase, California’s dire statistics underscore the extent to which state and local policies drive an extraordinary and persistent failure to shelter the equivalent of a midsize city...

While the nation’s homeless population remains about 10% lower than it was a decade ago, California’s has expanded more than 22% in that time.

Your humble blogger expects that California will blame President Trump for its homelessness problems, as it has done for wildfires, drought, and mass shootings.

Why national policies cause homelessness in California, but not in other states, is indeed a puzzle, but I'm sure we'll find reasons why it's not our fault.