By Marion Apio | California Local News Fellow

California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra said Thursday, Oct. 15, that he would prioritize housing and health care, hold local governments accountable for homelessness spending and ensure public funds are used effectively if elected governor.

Becerra, a Democrat and former California attorney general and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, outlined his policy priorities during an on-the-record discussion with elected officials, community members and media representatives in South Los Angeles.

Asked what he would address first as governor, Becerra pointed to housing.

“Hopefully, tackling the housing crisis first,” he said.

Becerra cited Proposition 1 as a potential source of funding to advance housing projects. He said more than 40,000 housing units had already been built but lacked financing. That figure could not be independently verified.

Becerra said increasing the housing supply could help ease pressure on prices in California, where housing costs have contributed to affordability challenges and the high cost of living.

But when housing demand outpaces supply, competition for available homes can drive prices higher, making it more difficult for residents to afford housing.

Health care would also be an early priority, he said. Becerra warned that federal changes to Medicaid could put millions of Californians at risk of losing coverage and said the state would need to protect patients and health care providers from potential funding reductions.

“I want to make sure neither the patients nor the providers feel like Trump’s cuts are going to undermine our healthcare system,” he said.

Becerra said he had been speaking with doctors, hospitals, caregivers and insurance companies about how California could respond to potential reductions in federal health care funding.

On homelessness, Becerra said he would make additional state funding contingent on measurable results from cities and counties.

“If you don’t produce results, I won’t give you more money,” he said.

He said local governments should demonstrate how state funds are spent and what results they produce. Programs that do not work should be discontinued, he said, while funding should be directed toward effective approaches.

Becerra also called for greater emphasis on preventing homelessness, citing job loss and unexpected medical expenses as circumstances that can leave families at risk of losing their homes.

He acknowledged that cities and counties make many decisions involving local streets and homeless encampments but said the state could use its funding authority to hold local governments accountable.

Becerra also addressed surveillance technology, including automated license plate readers, saying their use should be accompanied by privacy protections and restrictions on how the systems collect and use information.

“Privacy is paramount,” he said.

He said policymakers should establish safeguards to prevent surveillance systems from being misused to track people based on race, immigration status or other factors. If a system repeatedly violates those boundaries, officials should consider stronger measures, including shutting it down, he said.

On artificial intelligence, Becerra said California must balance technological innovation with protections for children, workers and public safety.

“We have to make sure that we have protections, certainly for children, certainly for workers, and certainly for public safety,” he said.

He said policymakers should be prepared to intervene if AI systems pose serious risks.

“If it’s so dangerous that we have to turn it off, we should turn it off,” he said.

On immigration, Becerra cited his 24 years in Congress and said he had repeatedly sought comprehensive immigration reform. He described the U.S. immigration system as broken and said uncertainty surrounding immigration policy affects immigrants, employers and communities.

Becerra also discussed education, saying California should prioritize public schools and provide support to students early in their education.

He said too many children enter kindergarten unprepared and suggested expanding tutoring and other interventions for students who fall behind.

According to Becerra’s campaign website, his career in public service spans more than 35 years and includes service in the California State Assembly, the U.S. House of Representatives, the California attorney general’s office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.