ENCINITAS — A California bill seeking to expand how cities track and plan for homelessness is exposing a fault line between state policymakers and local governments over cost, control, and accountability in addressing one of the state’s most persistent crises.
Senate Bill 866, authored by Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), would require most California cities to include more detailed homelessness data and analysis in their housing elements, the state-mandated planning documents that guide local housing policy.
The Encinitas City Council voted 4-1 against Blakespear on Wednesday, while the city of Oceanside, along with dozens of other cities…
