REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Gina Gonzalez, Director of Economic Development and Legislative Affairs Date:October 22, 2024
Subject:Proposition 36: Resolution Supporting the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act
Recommendation
Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 36, THE HOMELESSNESS, DRUG ADDICTION, AND THEFT REDUCTION ACT.
Background
In April 2024, District Attorney Hestrin spoke to the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development meeting, giving a presentation on the effects that Proposition 47 has had catastrophically on communities and its ability for local control and the enforcement of drugs, retail theft, drug addiction, and homelessness. Many communities throughout the state have experienced an increase in part I crimes and, equally alarming, an increase in repeat offenders.
Proposition 47 reclassified certain types of felonies to misdemeanors, including drug crimes and all retail theft under $950. Proposition 47 authorized defendants serving sentences for felony offenses that would have qualified for a misdemeanor under the proposition to petition courts for re-sentencing. It also retroactively applied their reclassification for sentencing to past sentences, resulting in reduced sentencing. This lack of accountability for crime has affected the city of Lake Elsinore, like other surrounding Southwest Riverside County cities, resulting in higher crimes, homelessness, drug addiction, and theft from our local businesses.
On April 19th, the Lake Elsinore City Council, by way of the city’s approved and adopted legislative platform, sent in a letter of support for the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act (Initiative 23-0017A1) and joined the coalition in support of the initiative as the first city in Riverside County (Attachment 2).
Prop 36 Resolution Of Support
1 4
9 7
Discussion
Recently, Governor Newsom signed a 10-bill package addressing retail theft. Attachment 3 of this report compares Proposition 36 (which would make changes to Proposition 47) with the recently approved retail theft package signed by the Governor. Proposition 36 would enhance crime penalties for drugs, aggregation, and retail theft, among others. Proposition 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, is a bi-partisan measure (supported by Law Enforcement, District Attorney’s, and Chambers of Commerce, to name a few), providing targeted reforms to Prop 47 than that of the recently adopted legislative Retail Theft Package, ultimately giving cities more tools to increase safety in their communities.
The attached resolution supports Proposition 36, which would allow for critical behavioral health services, drug treatment, and job training within our justice system for people who are homeless and suffering from mental illness or struggling with substance abuse, among other tools for crime affecting the City of Lake Elsinore.
Fiscal Impact
There is no direct fiscal impact by supporting the Proposition 36 Resolution; however, there are long-term fiscal impacts from Proposition 47 currently impacting the City of Lake Elsinore as it relates to curtailing theft, drug addiction, and homelessness.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Attachment 2 - Letter of Support
Attachment 3 - Comparison Table
Economic Development