Attorney Liu Longzhu, who is running for California’s 49th District congressional seat, together with lawyer Deng Hong, held a press conference on Friday (25th) to discuss the latest developments on the expansion of homeless shelters in various locations in Los Angeles County. They highlighted the recent victory achieved with the support of over 20,000 Chinese signatures in blocking the expansion of a transitional housing facility by Maryvale in the city of Rosemead. They called on voters to actively participate in the election to ensure the healthy development of the community.
At the press conference, Liu Longzhu clarified a significant point: although the city of Rosemead approved the expansion application for Maryvale’s project, the City Council added several conditions under pressure from opponents. These conditions included reducing the originally proposed 374 units to just 14 units, restricting occupancy to single mothers and their children or female students, and requiring licensed security guards to be on duty around the clock.
Liu Longzhu explained that according to the “SB330 Bill” passed by the state government in 2019, local authorities cannot reject or delay applications to build homeless shelters. Therefore, if Maryvale’s proposal is rejected by the City Council, the state government can sue Rosemead and impose fines of $50,000 per month. He mentioned that the state government could also take over the project, potentially leading to the construction of all 374 units, which would result in a complete loss for their efforts.
Regarding the issue, Liu Longzhu stated, “Superficially, we lost 14 units this time, but in fact, we won 360 units. This is a huge victory!”
The California legislature, led by the Democratic Party, has been trying to address the homeless issue through legislation for years. Since Governor Newsom took office, California has invested over $20 billion in solving the crisis.
Deng Hong mentioned that since the passage of the “SB330 Bill,” besides the recent application in Rosemead, a 44-unit homeless apartment construction in Alhambra was approved two years ago, and Azusa also has 125 units awaiting municipal approval. In addition, Irvine, where many Chinese residents reside, has allocated $18 million to build homeless apartments.
Deng Hong admitted that homelessness is a serious social problem as many homeless individuals do not receive the necessary assistance and end up wandering the streets. However, he also pointed out that building homeless centers may not be the real solution as many homeless individuals have mental health or substance abuse issues. He cited official statistics indicating that despite only having 120,000 homeless individuals in California in 2019, the number has now increased to over 170,000.
Both lawyers emphasized that the state’s mandatory push for homeless apartment construction does not solve the homeless problem but exacerbates the crisis.
“To solve one homeless individual’s problem now costs taxpayers between $45,000 and $55,000. By providing such great care, taxpayers pay a hefty price, potentially attracting homeless individuals from across the U.S. to California. This trend will impose a heavy burden on California’s finances,” Deng Hong stated.
Liu Longzhu clarified that opposing the construction of homeless shelters does not mean lack of compassion among the Chinese community.
“Let’s look at one fact: if more homeless shelters are built in California, the inevitable result will be an increase in homeless individuals rather than a decrease,” he explained. Many Californians work long hours and multiple jobs to earn a yearly income of $40,000 to $50,000 to afford housing, while homeless individuals do not need to work but still have a place to live.
Liu Longzhu believed that California’s policies in caring for the homeless may seem “glamorous” on the surface, but the actual consequence is turning people who could have been hardworking individuals into lazy individuals due to inherent human inertia.
“During the pandemic, many people received more unemployment benefits than those who were working. So, who would want to work?” Liu Longzhu said, adding that the government printing excessive money leads to hyperinflation, eventually burdening everyone.
Deng Hong added that in Los Angeles, building a homeless residence that costs $150,000 ends up costing over $800,000 in the end, which he described as an astronomical figure. He emphasized that to truly address the homeless crisis, therapeutic assistance should be provided to those in need to help them get their lives back on track rather than just building shelter for them.
Both lawyers cautioned that while Rosemead successfully halted the expansion of the homeless center, other Chinese communities face the same threat. They urged Chinese-American voters to actively vote and address legislative issues at the source to genuinely safeguard the prosperity and safety of the Chinese community.
According to previous reports, Mike Couchman, the Chief Financial Officer of Maryvale, emphasized during a hearing on Tuesday that their development plan is not a homeless shelter. Single mothers seeking accommodation undergo strict screening and interviews and must meet certain standards and requirements to stay.