Providence City Council urged McKee Thursday night to declare homelessness a public health emergency. More lawmakers sent a letter Friday morning, also asking the governor about his plan. The letter from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said a declaration would allow the state to open more shelters, and spend through community organizations.

At least 46 state lawmakers signed a petition urging McKee to declare a public health emergency, which McKee said he would not do earlier this week.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday declared a public health emergency for California to address the health impacts of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County. The wildfires have devastated Los Angeles neighborhoods on the east and west sides of the sprawling metropolis and have so far killed 10 people and destroyed nearly 10,

The US health department on Friday declared a public health emergency for California in response to devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area that have so far killed 10 people and destroyed more than 10,000 structures.

Despite billions spent and thousands of people helped, the most recent available data shows homelessness is still increasing in the state.

Though the number of unhoused people has been steadily rising, the governor has pushed back against a declaration. “I would be solving one problem by creating a new one,” he said. “I am not going to do that.

The City Council approved a resolution Thursday night calling on Gov. Dan McKee to declare homelessness a public health emergency.