California Senate Race: Where Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey stand on crime, homelessness

OAKLAND, Calif. - The closely watched, competitive race for California's U.S. Senate seat is between Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican and former Dodger Steve Garvey.

The two men are nothing alike. Schiff, 64, has been in politics for decades, while Garvey, at the age of 75, is just now entering the political world. But Garvey is using that to his advantage, noting that he is not a career politician like others and is running to help all the people of California. 

While California is demographically a blue state, Garvey beat Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee during the March primary.

For many Californians, the main issues of importance are crime, homelessness, the economy, and immigration. Below is a breakdown of where each candidate stands on some of these issues.

Crime

Garvey's stance on crime

On the issue of crime, Garvey is a strong supporter of Prop. 36, a 2024 ballot measure that would reverse Prop. 47 which California voted into law 10 years ago. He said Prop. 47 led to a surge in crime by reducing penalties for serious offenses. His plans also include increasing federal resources to communities facing crime waves, and increasing funding to hire more law enforcement officers.

"Our sheriffs and police need reinforcements, they need investments in them, technology," Garvey told FOX 11, KTVU's Los Angeles affiliate. "I believe in our police and our law enforcement and first responders. It's the [district attorneys] that need to step up and they need to prosecute to the full extent of the law. And you can't have the idea of stealing $950 from a store and nothing's going to happen to you."

Schiff's stance on crime

For Schiff, he said public safety is his top priority. He plans to increase funding for law enforcement and put more cops on the street and focus on community-based policing. In addition to that, he also plans to invest in new tools to identify those who are committing crimes.

"I brought back millions to eliminate the rape kit backlog so we could take rapists off the street," Schiff told FOX 11. "I helped establish a regional DNA crime lab in Glendale so that we could identify who's committing these smash-and-grab robberies and other property crimes. And so we're going to have more police, better police, better policing, and we're going to need other tools to bring people to justice."

Homelessness

Garvey's stance on homelessness

On the issue of homelessness, Garvey said one of the first things he would do in Washington is call for a federal audit of the $20 billion that was spent on homelessness in California and track where exactly the money is going. His proposed policies also include ending "Housing First" requirements, as they are not a one-size-fits-all approach.

"The big problem in America is oversight on key issues, compassionate issues. And that's why I say when I went to San Diego, the Alpha Project is a great example for the villages. And here in Los Angeles, it's the Dream Center," Garvey said. "And the center is a model for America on how you take people off the streets, and you put dignity back in their hearts by working with, no. 1 one, their mental illness, no. 2 two, addiction, no. 3 three, in a secure environment that they can live so they can go back, have a job, and feel like they are contributing to society."

Schiff's stance on homelessness

For Schiff, tackling the issue of homelessness means creating more affordable housing. His plans also include expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, which would make it easier for developers to build more affordable housing. He also plans to create a federal low-interest loan for multifamily housing units, and convert unused federal and state buildings/land into housing developments.

In an interview with FOX 11, Schiff said the homelessness epidemic comes back to one common problem – there isn't enough housing available and the time it takes to construct it.

"We're not building it fast enough. We're not building it cheaply enough. My top priority in the Senate is going to be to expand the low-income housing tax credit so we incentivize the construction of a lot more housing," Schiff said. "I also want to incentivize local governments to get to ‘yes’ on housing decisions very quickly. I want to make sure that we reduce the time it takes to build new housing,"

Economy

Garvey's stance on the economy 

The cost of living has skyrocketed in the past years, making it extremely difficult for many to get by on their earnings.

Garvey's plan to control the cost of living is to control federal spending, codify regulatory budgets into law, stop policymakers from implementing costly regulations, and to hold the Federal Reserve accountable.

"What I would do is go back and work with my constituents to get back to a vibrant capitalism-supply side economics, where money starts to flow into the pockets of hardworking Californians. So in the morning when they get up, they're not forced to buy $10 worth of gas but can afford ten gallons worth," Garvey said.

Schiff's stance on the economy

Schiff says dramatic steps are needed to drive down costs in California. His proposed plan includes driving down the cost of prescription drugs, gas, food, housing, and childcare. He said there needs to be federal price gouging rules and better antitrust enforcement. 

During an interview with FOX 11, Schiff said bringing down costs and lifting people's income would help move the economy. He also plans to give middle-class families a tax cut and restore the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT) for families making less than $400,000.

"We have to raise people's incomes. We need to make the economy work for people. Right now, the economy is working for those who are doing really well," he said. "A lot of middle-class families are really struggling. I think part of the reason our democracy has been in trouble is that too many people find themselves working harder than ever and still barely getting by. And solving that problem is priority no. 1 for me."

Immigration

Garvey's stance on immigration

Garvey's policies at the US-Mexico border include increasing border patrol, ensuring asylum seekers remain in Mexico while their claims are processed, and preventing undocumented immigrants from being released into U.S. communities without proper legal proceedings. In December, Garvey visited the border and told FOX 11 weeks later that his plan was to close the border, but during an interview months later in September, he said his goal now is to secure the border.  

"Everybody says close the border. It's not realistic because a number of men and women come across the border to work every day. So we have to respect them. But we've got to start vetting the people coming into this country that are illegal," Garvey said. "We just need to reinforce the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE. We need to get more jurisprudence and be able to make decisions on these people, vet them more when they come across the border."

Schiff's stance on immigration

Schiff also agrees on securing and controlling the border. He says the asylum process is broken and needs to be reformed. He says claims also need to be processed in a timely manner.

"It can take five or seven or 10 years to have an asylum case adjudicated. And in the meantime, you know, people are living in the country for years and then told years later, no, you're not eligible for asylum," Schiff said. "You're an economic migrant. That's not good for anybody. It's not good for those trying to migrate. It's not good for the country.

His plans also include helping communities impacted by immigration and creating a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and other undocumented people.