Just giving the homeless homes won't solve the problem. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street

with the point. Recently, the economists reported that the number of homeless Californians

has surged by more than a third in the past five years. That's compared with a rise of less than

6% nationally. By some estimates, half of America's homeless population live in the Golden State.

We ought never reduce people to just

being mere statistics on this or any issue. Proverbs 21 warns that whoever closes his ears to the

cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered. In fact, reducing the homeless population

to just their homelessness is a part of the problem. Historically, the U.S. is focused on a housing-first approach to homelessness.

Expensive programs, putting people under roofs, but not much more.

California's two most recent budget plans, for example, dedicate $26 billion to that approach.

But more money doesn't work if we don't address the heart of the problem.

People have to be seen as the connected image-bearers and they really are in need of spiritual, relational, physical redemption. Local

governments have a role to play, but the restoration requires the wider community, especially

the church. I'm John Stone Street.