SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s big-city mayors, a bipartisan coalition from the state’s 13 largest cities, traveled to the State Capitol for a sole purpose — guaranteeing permanent funding to help combat homelessness in their communities.

The leaders are specifically requesting the governor and legislature make Homeless, Housing Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program funding permanent.

Started in 2018, HHAP issues cities $1 billion to help get people from living on the streets into housing. At that time, there were 130,000 homeless people in the state. Today, that number has grown to more than 181,000, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The big-city mayors met with Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders to urge them to reject any potential cuts to the HHAP program.

“We want to make sure that the governor and the legislature hear from mayors that we need our homelessness funding and that we are willing to accept accountability and data sharing,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who leads the coalition.

Mayor Gloria said he understands the frustration people have over the issue of homelessness.

“Californians that want to see change on this yesterday,” he said.

Last week, Gov. Newsom unveiled $192 million in grant funds for cities to help combat homelessness. With the new funding, Newsom is also expanding the Housing Accountability Unit to create more oversight.

“I want to see results. Everybody wants to see results,” Newsom said.

Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said she welcomes Newsom’s call for more accountability, highlighting the HHAP funds have gone to good use in her city.

“I think that in Riverside it has visibly gotten better and I take that to heart,” Lock Dawson said.

She points out her city saw a 73% reduction in youth homelessness and a 12% reduction in chronic homelessness.

“So if we’re making an impact in that community, I know we can impact in other communities. That gives me hope,” Lock Dawson said.

There is work to be done as for every one person who exits homelessness in Riverside, six more become unhoused.

All the mayors emphasized there is more to do in each of their cities, which is why they all call for the legislature to make HHAP funds permanent.