01.25.22

IIDA Applauds Governor’s Budget Proposal with Major Investment in Built Spaces and Climate Action

Happy New Year, and greetings from Sacramento! With so much of our daily life still feels unpredictable, it’s comforting to know some things never change. Every year, come rain, shine, or Pandemic, the state’s budget process for the following fiscal year begins in January, and continues over the next several months through legislative hearings and stakeholder input. A final budget will be adopted by the end of June, with the 2022-23 fiscal year beginning on July 1.  

Governor Newsom released his budget proposal for 2022-23 on January 10, which includes billions of dollars in proposed investments to fight and prepare for climate change, and to tackle the growing challenges surrounding homelessness and access to housing.

The Governor’s climate change action plan includes a tremendous infusion of resources for Zero-Emission Vehicles, transit, clean energy,  and sustainable planning. You can read more about the Governor’s climate related budget proposal here. As these proposed investments are discussed in the legislature over the next several months, IIDA will continue to champion climate and energy solutions, and work with policymakers to make sure they know the role interior designers have in reaching our state’s climate goals.

Building off prior years’ investments, the Governor proposes to spend around $2 billion to help local governments tackle homeless and housing instability, which Newsom has declared one of California’s major “existential crises.” In tackling both climate change and housing availability, the Governor envisions robust partnerships with local government to find and develop housing sites near jobs, services, and schools. He hopes to accomplish this through programs such as infill and adaptive reuse grants, and mixed-income housing loans for developers. Acknowledging the linkage between homelessness and mental health, Newsom proposes $2 billion over two years to provide housing supports for those with complex behavioral health considerations and people living in encampments. More detail on the Governor’s vision on housing and homelessness can be found here.

There are clear connections between the Administration’s policy priorities and the work of interior designers, and IIDA shares the Governor’s commitment to making meaningful progress on climate change, housing, and mental health. Smart and sustainable planning and design will be crucial to meeting the state’s goals, and we look forward to staying engaged as these budget proposals are considered and hopefully included in the final budget deal.

Brought to you in support of our VP of Advocacy and our lobbyist.