Homeless and Housing Strategies for California
Homeless and Housing Strategies for California is a companion website created by the Hub for Urban Initaives.
The primary purpose of the Homeless and Housing Strategies for California website is to closely examine the issues that are contributing to an unprecedented increase in the number of persons who are homeless and at risk of becoming homeless in California; help counties, cities, and communities shape local policies for solving homelessness and increasing affordable housing including permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless; and assist you in helping other local stakeholders and decision-makers shape local policies by promoting the practices published there.
The 2017 Legislative Housing Package in California has injected a wide-range of new regulatory and financial resources to increase affordable housing, permanent supportive housing for homeless persons with disabling conditions, and supportive services including health, mental health, and substance abuse care. The Homeless and Housing Strategies for California website will help local governments and non-profit organizations maximize the impact of the resources available to them.
"Thank you for this. In Santa Cruz we're trying to establish at least two new Navigation Centers, and this guidance is valuable. Much appreciated!"
Rayne Marr
Homeless Service Coordinator at County of Santa Cruz
Our guidance focuses on three key areas for action:
- Policy, including opportunities to make the most of new legislation and funding
- Plans, especially strategic plans for CoCs
- Practices, both proven and promising, that CoCs can implement to improve outcomes
Here is our most recent guidance posted to the Homeless and Housing Strategies for California site:
- All of California’s 44 Continuums of Care Should Conduct an Unsheltered Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and Survey in January 2022 to Help Understand the Impact of the Pandemic on Homelessness
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Unsheltered Homelessness Needs to be Informed by 2022 State-wide, Regional, and Local Unsheltered PIT Counts. HUD does not require CoCs to Conduct an Unsheltered Count During the Last 10 Days of January in Even-Number Years 16 of 23 Northern California CoCs; 3 of 8 Central California CoCs; and…
- California’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Funding from HUD to Solve Homelessness Increased by 79% During the Past Decade
Funding Increased Unevenly among the State’s 44 Continuums of Care Some CoCs Experienced More Than a 100% Increase during the Past Decade And Others a Single Digit Increase or a Decrease as Noted in Table 2 Collectively, Funding for Each Region—Northern, Central, and Southern California—Increased Unevenly as Noted in Table 1 (Click here to see…
- Adhering to a Trauma-Informed Design and Care Approach Should be Included in California Legislation Concerning Homelessness
Requiring a Trauma-Informed Design and Care Approach Should be a Condition to Receiving Homelessness Funding Adhering to a Trauma-Informed Design and Care approach should be a legislative requirement for receiving State of California funding to implement solutions to prevent and end homelessness just like a Housing First approach is required. Housing First Approach is Required…
- More than 80% of California’s 44 Continuums of Care Will Not Conduct a 2021 Point-in-Time Unsheltered Count Because of the Pandemic
Unsheltered 2021 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count data will not be available for State legislative, funding, policy and planning purposes unlike past count data All 44 California CoCs should be encouraged to conduct a 2022 PIT unsheltered count, even though HUD does not require PIT unsheltered counts during even number years, provided there are no longer any…