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:
- Homelessness Continues to Significantly Increase in Southern California According to 2020 Homeless Counts
10% more persons were counted in 2020 when compared to 2019which followed a previous 10% increase whenthe 2019 count is compared to 2018 In 2020, 11 of the 13 Southern California Continuums of Care (CoCs) conducted a sheltered and unsheltered homeless count. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) does not require CoCs…
- It is Time for the State of California, Counties, Cities, and Continuums of Care to Collectively Prepare to Solve Homelessness in a Post-Pandemic Era
The Time Has Come to Design a Flexible Pool of Funds to Rapidly Respond to Homelessness Unlike Ever Before –See Recommendations for Next Steps Below– It is time to boost a “whatever it takes” approach to house homeless households by designing a flexible pool of funds to respond rapidly to the homeless experiences of individuals…
- It is Time for California’s 44 Continuums of Care (CoCs) and State of California to Mutually Advance Data Collection, Distribution, and Technology to Help Solve Homelessness
While We Await theCreation of a State-wide Homeless Data Integration SystemThere are Decisions That 44 CoCs and State Can Make Together Now to Obtain Local, Regional and State-wide Desired Data Incorporating mutually beneficial questions into 2021 CoC Point-in-Time Count Surveys for people experiencing homelessness to obtain local, regional and state-wide desired data including questions that…
- The Importance of Understanding the Roles and Responsibilities of California Continuums of Care (CoCs) in Solving Homelessness
Forging a closer partnership between CoCs and State, Counties, Cities, and Community Stakeholders is Imperative California’s 44 Continuums of Care (CoCs) encompass the entire state (see map); Each CoC has a lead agency whose responsibility is to coordinate a wide-range of public and private partners within its jurisdiction including state, county, city, and community stakeholders;…