You would be suprised at how many homeless people in CA are working full time jobs. WHen its more than 2k a month for a single room, not even a studio, in a really bad part of town, its kinda hard to aford a place to live, even when your working full time.
Yet people keep buying into the big lie that is california. Sadly so long as people are willing to put up with it, its going to continue. Never mind the people that are no longer able to excape the siduation.
Also, on the other side of things, there are a lot of homeless in CA just because they get more stuff from the state, and from others. The weather is mostly not lethal, and food is easy to come by, and the homeless have more freedom and rights than the people who own there homes, or even just rent an apartment somewhere.
I should add, that there is also an issue with the police being rather unable to do much about the homeless, or the crimes they might commit. They fall into a grey area a lot and often petty theft is swept under the rug, because its easyer. But Cali likes to sweep crimes under the rug.

exactly. all of this.

I'm still stuck in CA but recently moved from LA back into a "red" county and immediately everything improved. Less crime, no crazy druggies, cheaper insurance for everything, more jobs available that don't require knowing 2-3 languages, no gangs of people raiding stores, better roads and pretty much no pot holes, cheaper gas, a local bus system that doesn't smell like piss and puke, more "mom and pop" local businesses, cheaper auto mechanics, being able to go for walks at night and not worry about if I should take a knife and pepper spray.

Now don't get me wrong, this is better than "glorious" Los Angeles, but still overall a crap state to live in. Highest taxes, insane rent, most expensive gas prices in the nation, electricity is overpriced as cali keeps shutting down hydro dams for bullshit "environmental" reasons to up the price and give profit kickbacks to the politicians that shut the dams down, insanely overpriced public college system, and as alyeska mentioned the state gives massive incentives to people to STAY POOR from lax to nonexistent crime punishment to free food and drugs all at the tax payer's expense that said tax payers cannot take part of. The state also still allows possible employers to base not giving you a job off credit scores and no home address or personal car. The second you try to drag yourself out of poverty the state comes down hard, cutting off all lifelines and increasing taxes out the ass.

Dont I know it. I hated being on food stamps and every time I tried to get back on my feet the state would sweep them out from under me. The welfare system is designed for people to commit fraud cause the moment you are honest with it they fuck you over hard.

Yeah, I know a strangely high amount of people that are stinking rich getting $1000+ in EBT benefits per month because they game the system. Like the wife of a millionaire claiming she's poor because she doesn't have a job (this is actually one of the most common ones).

My own father abuses the welfare system to get free food from homeless shelters and hand out programs claiming he's a "poor" veteran when he owns 3 houses and 30+ classic cars. And then he just hoards it till it goes bad and throws it away. He's literally taking food from people that actually need it and wasting it. Proud Biden voter too, so progressive.

But if I use it or want some help to get out of poverty, NOPE... The second I can barely afford rent I'm suddenly making too much to keep any benefits.

There's no middle ground. It benefits the lying rich and the "happy to be poor" and does nothing for people trying to get out of that poor class. If you are already stinking rich, or happy being poor and never want to rise out of your position, then California is a great state.