a Rube Goldberg machine of non-profits and inefficient, non-transparent spending leaving little to help the plight of the less fortunate.

I remember an article from somewhere in the valley that they considered to support families in need with some money for housing. Family in need was defined as yearly household income below $250,000.

It's probably this you are thinking of:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-rent/palo-alto...

It sounds dumb but IIRC it's an attempt to have teachers and police and city employees able to live there...

Follow the drugs.