Housing is the issue … homelessness is the outcome.

I’ve submitted a report to the Chico City Council titled Chico’s Housing Crisis … How We Got Here and Where We Go From Here.

The report examines Chico’s history of affordable housing development, the City’s response to homelessness, and some serious questions about the direction we’re heading.

And with the City’s public Town Hall meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at City Hall, I think it’s important that people understand what’s actually happening.

Let’s Talk About Housing

For decades, Chico has known how much housing it needs, including housing affordable to people with the lowest incomes.

According to the City’s own housing reports:

• 2007–2014: Chico achieved only 17.6% of its low-income housing allocation.
• 2014–2022: Chico achieved only 30.2% of its low-income housing allocation.
• 2014–2022: Chico reached 213.2% of its above-moderate-income housing allocation.

We managed to exceed our higher-income housing target by more than double … while failing to reach even one-third of our low-income target.

How did that happen?

And why aren’t we talking about it every time the City discusses homelessness?

You Cannot Ordinance Your Way Out of a Housing Crisis!

The City Council is considering changes to camping ordinances that will affect people experiencing homelessness throughout Chico.

But here’s my question …

Where are these people supposed to go?

If someone cannot access Torres, Genesis, or another shelter … if those options aren’t suitable for their circumstances … what exactly does the City expect them to do?

Making camping illegal doesn’t create housing.

Clearing an encampment doesn’t create housing.

Moving someone from one location to another doesn’t end their homelessness.

We need more options, not fewer.

That includes interim sheltering solutions, safe places to sleep, low-barrier programs, and partnerships with community organizations willing to help.

We also need to recognize that shelter is temporary. Permanent housing is the objective.

What Are We Actually Accomplishing?

The City’s proposed five-year Unhoused Strategic Plan identifies 1,065 people experiencing homelessness, including 360 who were unsheltered in the 2025 count.

Its proposed numerical goal is to reduce the unsheltered count by 25% over five years.

That’s 90 fewer people counted as unsheltered by 2031.

But that isn’t even a commitment to provide 90 permanent homes.

Where are the measurable permanent housing goals?

How many people are moving from shelters into housing?

How many remain housed?

And why doesn’t the proposed strategic plan directly address Chico’s documented affordable housing shortfalls through its RHNA obligations and Housing Element?

These are reasonable questions that deserve answers.

The November 4 Town Hall

The City is inviting the community to discuss its proposed approach to homelessness.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

6:00–8:00 PM

Chico City Hall

I encourage everyone to participate, especially people who have experienced homelessness, housing insecurity, or the challenges of finding affordable housing in this community.

We need to hear from service providers, housing advocates, neighborhood residents, business owners, and the people directly affected by these decisions.

And we need to listen to people who have spent years working professionally in housing and homelessness.

I’ve asked the City to consider establishing a Housing and Homelessness Commission, bringing more community organizations into the process, and measuring success by permanent housing outcomes rather than simply shelter placements and enforcement statistics.

My Request to the City

I am not suggesting that affordable housing can be built overnight.

But people still need somewhere safe to sleep tonight.

We need practical interim solutions while addressing the shortage of permanent housing.

We need voluntary services, accessible shelter options, and a real commitment to Housing First.

And we need accountability for the housing policies that helped create the situation we’re dealing with today.

This isn’t about political parties. It isn’t about blaming people experiencing homelessness. And it isn’t about pretending the problems in our parks and neighborhoods don’t exist.

It’s about addressing the underlying problem instead of continually managing the consequences.

Housing is the issue … homelessness is the outcome.

I’ve submitted my research and questions to the City Council. I hope the Town Hall gives our community an opportunity to have a serious conversation about what happens next.

Read my full report: Chico’s Housing Crisis … Original Eight Pages Plus November 3 Update (PDF)

Scotty Franzyshen
Building • Fixing • Serving
sfranzyshen.org