California Governor Gavin Newsom's lackadaisiveness is seen as his biggest problem, with his high-speed rail project described as a “textbook example of government failure” by state legislators. The project, originally planned for 500 miles in 2008, was initially authorized in 2008 at a projected cost of $33 billion, but scaled-back 171-mile version began in 2015 at a cost almost four times as much and is projected to remain under construction until at least 2031. The crime rate under Newsom’s watch is higher than in most states and California is less safe than 80 percent of all states, with property crime over 18 percent higher than the national average and violent offenses twice the standard. The governor's support for reclassifying several drug and property offenses from felonies to misdemeanors and expanding parole eligibility has led to increased crime, leading to increased arrests for low-level shoplifting and the rise of organized retail theft rings. California's homeless population has increased by 30,000 in the past year, and its overall crime rate is also among the highest in the country for both violent and property crimes. Despite efforts to reduce homelessness, the state's homeless rate has been significantly higher than any other states. Despite these reforms, California's largest population is now accounting for nearly a quarter of the country's total.