Governors Briefs: Grants For Homeless, Behavioral Health and Big Oil’s Price Gouging Penalty

Nearly $1 Billion in Grants Available For Homeless Housing, Behavioral Health Needs

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Feb. 22 announced the availability of $907 million in grant funding to address the immediate housing and treatment needs of people experiencing homelessness and serious behavioral health conditions, including mental illness and substance use disorders.

Homelessness and untreated behavioral health conditions are two major challenges facing California and access to immediate and stable housing for those facing both challenges is vital to tackle these crises. California is providing resources to aid some of the state’s most vulnerable residents, helping people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders move off the streets and into housing and treatment. The announcement spotlights some of the billions in state investments available to local governments to serve Californians across the continuum of behavioral health care and housing — including through the CARE Act starting this year in eight counties and statewide next year.

The Behavioral Health Bridge Housing or BHBH program, under the Department of Health Care Services or DHCS, will provide support through various “bridge” housing settings, including tiny homes, interim housing, rental assistance models, and assisted living settings. The housing will also provide supportive services to further assist program participants in remaining housed.

All bridge housing settings must include voluntary supportive services to help program participants obtain and maintain housing, manage symptoms of serious behavioral health conditions, and support recovery and wellness.

Details: https://bridgehousing.buildingcalhhs.com 

Top 5 Takeaways From Hearing on Big Oil’s Price Gouging

SACRAMENTO – The California State Senate Feb. 22 hosted the first informational hearing of the special session to pass a gas price gouging penalty and transparency measures. 

At the hearing, oil industry lobbyists once again stonewalled on why gas prices soared to record highs last year as oil companies posted record profits. 

Top things to know from the Senate energy, utilities and communications informational hearing: 

1. Action is needed to prevent future price hikes. Experts agreed that Californians are getting ripped off at the pump and action is needed to protect consumers, and it was made clear that the Governor’s price gouging penalty is the only viable proposal on the table that doesn’t involve more pollution and more fossil fuels.
2. The “mystery surcharge” and price hikes bolster Big Oil’s profits. Experts agreed that higher gas prices in California are not chiefly caused by regulations and fees, but instead by the oil industry’s profits like a “mystery surcharge” imposed by the industry on California customers for years. The California Energy Commission’s or CEC presentation illustrated a record difference in California’s average gas price from the U.S. average, and state refiners made three times more last year than in 2021 and oil companies raked in $63 billion in just 90 days.
3. More transparency is needed. Over and over during the hearing, it was made clear that more data is needed on Big Oil’s profits and California’s gasoline market, which is what the Governor’s proposal would accomplish – holding the oil industry to the same levels of accountability that other critical industries like electrical utilities already face.
4. The oil industry advocated for dirtier fuel and more pollution. Big Oil would rather roll back California’s public health and environmental measures than lose any profits – advocating for lower-grade fuels that pollute the air more as their top suggestion to lower prices at the pump.
5. Big Oil’s big sway. Even in a panel of experts, the oil industry’s influence was on full display, as Senators revealed that 4 of 7 “experts” took money from the oil industry. In fact, Big Oil spent $34 million last year on lobbying in California, with most of those resources directed at fighting to continue to drill in neighborhoods near schools and homes.

How it works: The Governor’s price gouging penalty would discourage oil refiners from fleecing Californians by making it unlawful to collect excessive profits. Excessive refiner margins would be punishable by a civil penalty issued by the California Energy Commission. Any penalties collected will go to a new price gouging penalty fund and then sent back to Californians as a rebate.