Governor Newsom, Cabinet Secretary Nani Coloretti, and newly sworn-in California Housing and Homelessness Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss. Photo courtesy of Gov. Newsom’s office.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has sworn in Tomiquia Moss as secretary of the newly established California Housing and Homelessness Agency, placing a longtime housing official at the helm of California’s efforts to expand affordable housing, reduce homelessness and coordinate housing policy across state government.
The appointment comes as Newsom implements the 2026-27 state budget, which funds the new agency, and a package of housing finance reforms, including the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. The administration said the measures are intended to accelerate housing construction, preserve affordable homes, expand homeownership opportunities for veterans and middle- and lower-income households, and increase supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
“I’m proud to appoint Tomiquia Moss to lead the California Housing and Homelessness Agency,” said Newsom on June 30. “Tomiquia is a proven leader who understands that housing is foundational to opportunity, dignity, and economic security. We created this agency because California needed a single, coordinated strategy to confront homelessness, expand housing, and protect the rights of every Californian.”
Newsom said California has made progress through “historic investments and an all-hands-on-deck approach” but said the work is far from complete. He added that Moss has “the experience, the grit, and the vision to build on that momentum and drive the next phase of this work.”
Moss, who previously served as secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, said she plans to build a more coordinated and accountable housing system.
Before joining the Newsom administration, Moss spent more than two decades in nonprofit and public service leadership, including as founder and CEO of All Home, CEO of Hamilton Families, executive director of San Francisco’s HOPE SF Initiative, and chief of staff to the mayor of Oakland.
“As we expand opportunity, I’m committed to protecting the civil rights of every Californian while accelerating housing production and strengthening our homelessness response,” said Moss. “I look forward to working with the Governor, the Legislature, and local partners to deliver stability, fairness, and dignity across our communities.”
According to the governor’s office, California has increased annual residential construction by 59% since 2018, with about 111,000 homes built in 2024. The administration also said the state recorded its largest reduction in unsheltered homelessness in 16 years and a 2.8% decline in overall homelessness.
The California Housing and Homelessness Agency will oversee the Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Housing Finance Agency, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Housing Development and Finance Committee and the Civil Rights Department as part of a long-term strategy to address the state’s housing shortage and homelessness crisis.
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Bo Tefu contributed to this report.
