Report
First Look: Governor’s Proposed Budget Responds to Emergency Needs of the Pandemic, Misses Opportunities for Urgent and Ongoing Investments
On January 8, Governor Gavin Newsom released his proposed 2021-22 state budget, drawing on stronger-than-expected revenues to call for a series of emergency investments to respond to the public health and economic impacts of the pandemic and provide modest relief for Californians. These much-needed emergency investments, which the governor calls for the Legislature to enact as quickly as possible in the coming weeks, include providing $600 in one-time assistance for Californians with low incomes, extending the state’s eviction moratorium, putting steps in place to reopen schools, and providing small business assistance through loans and tax credits.
Data Hit
Many California Children Do Not Have Enough to Eat During COVID-19
Nearly 1 in 4 California low-income households with children surveyed from late August through October reported sometimes or often not having enough food to eat, according to data from the US Census Bureau looking at how COVID-19 is affecting households.
Data Hit
Most Latinx and Black Households With Children Are Having Difficulty Paying for Basic Expenses
Latinx and Black households with children are far more likely to report difficulty meeting basic needs. About 8 in 10 Latinx and 7 in 10 Black households with children recently had difficulty paying for basic expenses, including food and rent.
Data Hit
After Reaching the Lowest Child Uninsured Rate in California History, Children Are Losing Health Coverage
In California, an estimated 334,000 children (3.6%) lacked health coverage in 2019 — up from a low of 3.1% in 2016. Uninsured rates are highest among American Indian/ Alaskan Native children (6.9%) and Latinx children (4.4%).
Data Hit
Black and Latinx California Children Were More Likely to Live in Households With Unaffordable Housing Costs Before COVID-19
Californians faced a housing affordability crisis even before COVID-19, which has pushed even more people into unstable situations. Nearly 1.2 million children in California ages 0 to 5 lived in households that were paying more than 30% of their income toward housing costs in 2019.