We are calling on the State of California to reform public assistance eligibility and administrative rules that are actively contributing to homelessness rather than preventing it.

Many Californians who seek help through programs such as State Disability Insurance (SDI), CalFresh, General Assistance, and housing support have worked for years and paid taxes into these systems. When a sudden crisis occurs—such as serious injury, hospitalization, or financial collapse—people turn to the safety net they helped fund, only to be met with denials, delays, and impossible requirements.

When someone has lost everything, is injured, and has no transportation, money, or stable housing, it is often impossible to obtain the documentation being demanded. Requiring paperwork from  specialists, or physicians—while someone has no internet or phone  access, no transportation, and no funds—is unrealistic and harmful.

Emergency room and hospital discharge paperwork should be accepted as valid medical proof. Forcing people to wait weeks or months for a doctor’s signature while benefits are denied directly contributes to homelessness.

These systems fail to account for real-world conditions:

• No transportation to medical offices  

• No internet or phone access  

• No money to pay for records  

• Long delays waiting for doctors to complete forms  

• Immediate loss of housing, income, and stability  

A safety net that requires perfect paperwork during a crisis is not a safety net.