Chico Mayor Andrew Coolidge criticized the state and Butte County for allegedly exacerbating the problem of homelessness.
Coolidge leveled the criticism on Friday during a State of the City address. He said the City Council is asking for a review of where the county Behavioral Health Department is spending money.
“While the county and state have helped with the issues facing the unsheltered population, they have fallen woefully short of their goals time and time again,” Coolidge said. “Oftentimes making the problem worse.”
Coolidge added that the City Council approved new regulations to protect the city’s parks and waterways. One of those regulations was elevating citations for camping in parks to potential misdemeanors.
Following the move, city officials in January cleared a large homeless encampment in lower Bidwell Park.
The council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and it’s expected to consider using city-owned land on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway for a sanctioned encampment, as well as other sheltering proposals.