CalMatters spent two years researching Homekey. Here's what we found

"Removing red tape created problems. Participating in the program forced one developer out of business. Another has been charged with fraud. The successes and failures of the program are nuanced and complex."

Homekey was created in 2020 to fund local governments to build housing for homeless residents while reducing red tape during the COVID-19 crisis. The program provided limited built-in oversight, and no state agency publicly analyzed results in detail. After two years of public records requests, outcomes showed mixed performance. About 13,500 Californians live in Homekey sites created over six years. Thousands of promised homes were not built for multiple reasons. Reducing red tape also contributed to problems, including a developer being forced out of business and another facing fraud charges. Remote work trends are also affecting California’s labor market and in-state job access.

Read at CalMatters