RFK Jr. Accuses California of ‘Ineptness’ in Handling Homelessness Crisis

Trump administration leaders have doubled down on their criticism of California homelessness policies, as local leaders pushed back.At a Tuesday press conference, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continued attacking the Biden-era "housing first" model. That model prioritizes providing housing quickly and without preconditions. But Turner and Kennedy said it isn't effective in reducing homelessness."I've seen the ineptness, the incompetence of government that has contributed to this problem," Kennedy said. "Half the homeless people in the country are in the state of California."The conference comes a few days after Los Angeles reported that homelessness increased last year, despite added resources under Mayor Karen Bass. Bass, who is up for reelection, has made curtailing the city's homelessness problem a major campaign priority.HUD's critique of the "housing first" policies championed under the Biden administration hasn't been limited to California policies. But the state has been a particular flash point, especially amid federal allegations of local fraud. Earlier this year, HUD froze funding to Los ...