Governor Newsom is using Nevada County to promote a new statewide homeless initiative. The governor spent a few hours in Grass Valley this (Monday) morning, touring a couple of facilities–the Spirit Peer Empowerment Center, where many of the participants are staying at the Hospitality House shelter,

or living out of their cars. Then, after meeting with some of the participants, he then went to Utah’s Place and got a tour of that facility. The main reason for the visit was to announce 650 million dollars in emergency grants, including deploying about a hundred trailors statewide…

Exactly who will get the trailors and tents is to be announced later this week, after Newsom meets with his homeless task force. He’s also asking the legislature to approve 750-million dollars of his budget to fast-track other homeless services, equating it to how funds are distributed after a natural disaster. As to why Newsom chose Nevada County for his announcement, he says it’s because of the sense of community here, and that leaders have not made homelessness a political issue…

This is Newsom’s second visit to Nevada County as governor. He attended the League of Cities annual meeting, which was held in Grass Valley last February.

–gf