ten years ago California voters passed Proposition 47 to downgrade hard drug possession from a felony to a misdemeanor, then went on to pass soft-on-crime proposals designed to reinvent the state’s criminal justice system. Since then, crime, drug use and homelessness have skyrocketed, driving businesses and honest citizens out of the state, a trend that should serve as a stark warning to other states that have followed California’s lead. Now, Proposition 36, or the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, is on the California ballot to address these crises. As this sentence is about to be passed into law, we can’t help but wonder, “So what?”

Over the past decade, countless political promises, countless policy changes, and billions of taxpayer dollars have been thrown at California’s homeless, drug and crime crises, and they only got worse. The Hoover Institution reports: “As of 2019, California spent about $24 billion on homelessness, but in that five-year period, the number of homeless people increased by about 30,000 to more than 181,000.” In keeping with a terrifying national custom, there was little or no accountability for this expenditure.

Meanwhile, opioid-related deaths skyrocketed by 121% between early 2019 and late 2021, still growing since then. Similarly, widespread theft, burglary and property crime are out of control. Unfortunately, simply passing Prop 36 is not enough to solve these problems. Sure, it will give cities the power to clean up their streets, but how will that happen when so many previous plans have failed?

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I’ve walked the streets of California and talked to those at the center of these crises, and the harsh reality is that a free apartment to get them off the street and a counselor’s number is not what they want. And while well-intentioned, it’s not quite what they need. Transition without transformation is useless.

The city of Berkeley, California is being sued by several companies for failing to eliminate homeless encampments. (ALAMEDA COUNTY CALIFORNIA SUPERIOR TAX)

Instead of pouring many millions of taxpayer dollars into new housing complexes and providing inefficient resources that are never used, the answer is a pretty good common sense concept of creating what I call “base camps”. At a fraction of the cost, these large spaces would facilitate personal transformation to prepare people for a successful transition to a productive society, rather than throwing them unprepared into a new life they don’t want.

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In practice, these base camps would resemble a kind of hybrid camp lifestyle that is more comfortable for those transitioning from homelessness and drug addiction compared to being cooped up in a new apartment. They will continue to experience the sense of camaraderie and community that those living on the streets often enjoy.

The base camp would also foster a sense of structure and self-improvement, offering a cafeteria, chapel, laundry, and even classes to promote resilience and provide life skills training. Residents would have both the opportunity and the expectation to contribute to their base camp community by working in the available facilities and paying it forward as a mentor to others on their journey. These commitments would be especially impactful for many disinterested and qualified homeless veterans, who would be ignited by a renewed sense of purpose. It is a tragedy and a colossal waste to let our vets die on the streets.

Meanwhile, opioid-related deaths increased 121 percent between the beginning of 2019 and the end of 2021, and have continued to rise since then. Similarly, widespread theft, burglary and property crime are out of control. Unfortunately, simply passing Prop 36 is not enough to solve these problems. Sure, it will give cities the power to clean up their streets, but how will that happen when so many previous plans have failed?

It’s easy for politicians to call it a housing crisis or a policy problem, because then the solution seems simple – build more houses or adopt new proposals. But housing and policy are not the root of the problems and adopting new proposals is not a magic solution. We need greater investment in a systemic problem that has destroyed the state of California and threatens to harm the nation.

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Instead of another pay-and-pray plan without accountability or success, we need a common-sense solution that is both cost-effective for the taxpayer footing the bill and tailored to the real needs and reasonable capabilities of those being served. Base camps may not be glamorous or politically profitable, but the return on investment for our communities would be clean streets and more importantly, rehabilitated human beings. Because at its core, this is a human crisis that was completely preventable in the first place.

California’s easy-on-crime and easy-to-use drug policies have been a proven failure. It’s time for the state to adopt a smarter strategy that goes beyond simply passing Proposition 36. The homelessness crisis, rampant crime, and rampant drug use are the results of these misguided and ineffective policies and a society too focused on the fast and profitable. fixes. What happened on the streets of California should be a warning to the rest of America – this path only leads to more chaos and destruction. We must heed this warning and get out ahead of these crises before America becomes California.

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