Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in this week on the Turlock City Council’s decision to vote against securing $267,100 in state grant funds for the We Care homeless shelter, calling the move “an absolute moral failure” in a social media post.
By a 3-2 vote on April 8, the council voted against making a nominal $1 contribution and writing a letter of support that would’ve allowed the county to release the funds to We Care.
City staff had recommended the council do just that on March 25, but the council put off a decision until April 8 in order to get input from the county.
Mayor Amy Bublak, along with councilmembers Rebecka Monez and Erika Phillips, voted against; Cassandra Abram and Kevin Bixel voted in favor of the item.
A special meeting, where the council’s decision potentially could’ve been reversed, was not held before this week’s deadline.
Newsom, who has allocated more than $24 billion to address homelessness and housing, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office, held nothing back in his assessment of the council’s decision.
“Truly a ridiculous lack of local leadership — an absolute moral failure,” Newsom posted on platforms including Facebook and Instagram. “California has invested billions to combat homelessness. In Turlock, their only shelter is at risk over a single dollar. The state has done its part. Local leaders need to step up.”
The city, sensitive to the pleas of downtown business owners, asked We Care to provide 24-hour restroom availability. We Care offered the restroom within its new kitchen/dining hall as an option, but no compromise was reached.
“It’s not about the money,” said Bublak during an interview that aired Tuesday on KCRA 3, Sacramento’s NBC affiliate. “It’s about we have to start changing how we do homelessness.”
On Monday, Bublak issued a statement via Instagram.
“This is not about funding; it is about partnership and mitigating negative impacts for downtown businesses and residents,” the statement began. “The objective was to ensure 24/7 restroom access at the We Care facility, which has existing restrooms that have remained closed during daytime hours.
“The city requested restroom access to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for We Care clients. The city anticipated We Care to utilize existing facilities to meet the need.
“The city requested a memo confirming a solution. Nothing was submitted at either the March 25 or April 8 city council meetings, and the city consequently concluded discussion due to the state and county’s timeline.”
Corey Mai disagreed with the mayor’s assessment of those negotiations, calling it “frustrating,” but said a 30-day grace period offers a glimmer of hope for reaching an agreement.
Turlock’s decision has drawn concern from Modesto City Councilmember Chris Ricci, who chimed in with his own social media post.
“Turlock turning down $267K for their We Care program raises real concerns about shifting their homeless responsibility onto Modesto,” Ricci posted on Facebook.
A 42-unit complex providing interim housing for people battling homelessness opened last month in Modesto. Dignity Village, located at the corner of Ninth and E streets, was developed as a collaboration between nonprofit Dignity Moves, the city of Modesto, and the county, which was awarded more than $3 million in state Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program funds.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson) swiped back at Newsom.
“The governor’s attack on local leadership and the city of Turlock is a blatant overreach of executive power,” Alvarado-Gil’s statement read. “Forcing failed, one-size-fits-all policies onto the Central Valley only drives up costs for local taxpayers and further erodes community voices in local decisions. I stand firmly with Mayor Amy Bublak and support the city’s efforts to defend local control, hold We Care accountable, and act in the best interests of Turlock constituents.”
