California, Racial Disparities, and Homelessness

What Did 41 California Continuums of Care Answer When Asked about
Racial Disparities in the Provision or Outcome of Homeless Assistance?

-68% indicated that there were racial disparities and
selected strategies to address the issues-

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) asked Continuums of Care (CoCs) to respond to the following within a subsection of the recently submitted 2018 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program application that focused on racial disparity:

• “indicate whether the CoC assessed whether there are racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance;”
• if the CoC conducted an assessment, “select from the options below (the four options are listed in Table 2) the results of the CoC’s assessment;” and
• “select from the options below (the 11 options are listed in Table 3) the strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities.”

This brief summarizes the responses of the 41 of 43 California CoCs. Two CoCs (Lake County CoC and Colusa, Glenn, Trinity Counties CoC) did not submit a 2018 application to HUD.

This brief is similar to the one that Urban Initiatives recently released that focused on the responses of the 20 CoCs with the largest number of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S.

• “Indicate whether the CoC assessed whether there are racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance”

Twenty-eight (28) or 68.3% of the 41 CoCs indicated they had assessed for racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance as noted in Table 1. The 13 CoCs that indicated that they did not assess for racial disparities in their provision or outcome of homeless assistance were

• Sacramento City & County CoC;
• Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC;
• Roseville, Rocklin/Placer, Nevada Counties;
• Redding/Shasta County CoC;
• Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC;
• Yuba City/Sutter County CoC;
• El Dorado County CoC;
• Central Sierra CoC;
• Tehama County CoC;
• Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC;
• Glendale CoC;
• Imperial County CoC; and
• San Luis Obispo County CoC.

Table 1. Indicate whether the CoC assessed whether there are racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance

Continuum of Care	Total Homeless Population	Indicate whether the CoC assessed whether there are racial disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance
		Yes	No
San Jose/Santa Clara City & County CoC	7,394	✓
San Francisco CoC	6,858	✓
Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC	5,629	✓
Sacramento City & County CoC	3,665		✓
Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC	2,835	✓
Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC	1,607	✓
Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC	3,364	✓
Marin County CoC	1,117	✓
Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC	2,249		✓
Mendocino County CoC	1,238	✓
Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC	1,661	✓
Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC	1,542	✓
Daly City/San Mateo County CoC	1,253	✓
Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC	853	✓
Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC	2,016	✓
Roseville, Rocklin/Placer, Nevada Counties	979		✓
Redding/Shasta County CoC	934		✓
Napa City & County CoC	315	✓
Vallejo/Solano County CoC	1,232	✓
Chico, Paradise/Butte County CoC	1,195	✓
Merced City & County CoC	454	✓
Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC	459		✓
Humboldt County CoC	759	✓
Yuba City/Sutter County CoC	760		✓
El Dorado County CoC	602		✓
Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne Counties CoC (Central Sierra)	367		✓
Tehama County CoC	124		✓
Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC*	121		✓
Los Angeles City & County CoC	55,188	✓
San Diego City and County CoC	9,160	✓
Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC	4,792	✓
Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County CoC	1,860	✓
Bakersfield/Kern County CoC	810	✓
Long Beach CoC	1,863	✓
Pasadena CoC	575	✓
Riverside City & County CoC	2,406	✓
San Bernardino City & County CoC	1,866	✓
Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC	1,152	✓
Glendale CoC	168		✓
Imperial County CoC	1,154		✓
San Luis Obispo County CoC	1,125		✓
Total:		28	13

• “If the CoC conducted an assessment, select from the options below the results of the CoC’s assessment” 

Table 2 includes the selected results by the 28 CoCs that conducted an assessment, which include

• 53.6% or 15 reported “people of different races or ethnicities are more or less likely to receive homeless assistance;”
• 46.4% or 13 reported “people of different races or ethnicities are more or less likely to receive a positive outcome from homeless assistance;”
• 14.3% or four reported “there are no racial or ethnic disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance;” and
• 46.4% or 13 reported “the results are inconclusive for racial or ethnic disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance.”

Table 2. Selected results of the CoC’s assessment

Continuum of Care	People of different races or ethnicities are more or less likely to receive homeless assistance	People of different races or ethnicities are more or less likely to receive a positive outcome from homeless assistance	There are no racial or ethnic disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance	The results are inconclusive for racial or ethnic disparities in the provision or outcome of homeless assistance
San Jose/Santa Clara City & County CoC				✓
San Francisco CoC	✓	✓	✓	✓
Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC			✓
Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC				✓
Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC	✓	✓
Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC				✓
Marin County CoC				✓
Mendocino County CoC	✓
Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC				✓
Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC	✓	✓	✓
Daly City/San Mateo County CoC	✓
Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC				✓
Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC	✓			✓
Napa City & County CoC				✓
Vallejo/Solano County CoC				✓
Chico, Paradise/Butte County CoC				✓
Merced City & County CoC	✓	✓
Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC	✓	✓
Los Angeles City & County CoC		✓
San Diego City and County CoC				✓
Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC	✓	✓
Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County CoC				✓
Bakersfield/Kern County CoC	✓	✓
Long Beach CoC	✓	✓	✓
Pasadena CoC	✓	✓
Riverside City & County CoC	✓	✓
San Bernardino City & County CoC	✓	✓
Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC	✓	✓
Total:	15	13	4	13

• “Select from the options below the strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities”

As noted in Table 3, the top three strategies that the 28 CoCs are using include

• Board and decision-making bodies’ representative of the population served in the CoC;
• Expansion of outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups; and
• Communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups.

These three strategies are highlighted in bold in the table below.

Table 3. Strategies that all CoCs are using to address any racial disparities

Strategy	# of CoCs that use the strategy
	#	%
The CoC’s board and decision-making bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	25	61.0
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decision-making bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC	4	9.8
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	22	53.7
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	20	48.8
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness	2	4.9
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector	0	0.0
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness	5	12.2
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity	2	4.9
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness	2	4.9
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system	5	12.2
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness	5	12.2
Other:	25	61.0

             Next Steps

CoCs should consider using the strategies listed in Table 3 that are not highlighted in bold to address any racial disparities if they have not already. Less than 15% of the 28 CoCs were using each of the non-highlighted strategies listed in Table 3.

Only five (12.2%) of the 28 CoCs

• has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness;
• is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system; and
• is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness.

Only four (9.8%) of the 28 CoCs

• “has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decision-making bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC;

Only two (4.9%) of the 28 CoCs

• is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness;

• is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity; and
• reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness.

None of the CoCs

• “is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector.”

___________________________

Appendix A

Appendix A consists of Table 4, which is divided into seven sections. Each section includes the responses of four of the 28 CoCs regarding the strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities as noted in their 2018 CoC Program application.

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities

Strategies	CA-500 San Jose/ Santa Clara City & County CoC	CA-501 San Francisco CoC	CA-502 Oakland, Berkeley/ Alameda County CoC	CA-504 Santa Rosa, Petaluma/ Sonoma County CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness
Other:	✓	✓	✓	✓

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-505 Richmond/ Contra Costa County CoC	CA-506 Salinas/ Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC	CA-507 Marin County CoC	CA-509 Mendocino County CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness
Other:	✓	✓	✓	✓

 

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-510 Turlock, Modesto/ Stanislaus County CoC	CA-511 Stockton/ San Joaquin County CoC	CA-512 Daly City/ San Mateo County CoC	CA-513 Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness
Other:	✓	✓	✓	✓

 

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-514 Fresno City & County/ Madera County CoC	CA-517 Napa City & County CoC	CA-518 Vallejo/ Solano County CoC	CA-519 Chico, Paradise/ Butte County CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness
Other:	✓	✓	✓	✓

 

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-520 Merced City & County CoC	CA-522 Humboldt County CoC	CA-600 Los Angeles City & County CoC	CA-601 San Diego City and County CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.		✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC	✓
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups		✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups		✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness	✓
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system	✓
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness	✓
Other:		✓	✓	✓

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-602 Santa Ana, Anaheim/ Orange County CoC	CA-603 Santa Maria/ Santa Barbara County CoC	CA-604 Bakersfield/ Kern County CoC	CA-606 Long Beach CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.		✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups		✓	✓	✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness	✓
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness	✓
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity	✓
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system	✓
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness	✓
Other:		✓	✓	✓

 

Table 4. Strategies the CoC is using to address any racial disparities (con’t)

Strategies	CA-607 Pasadena CoC	CA-608 Riverside City & County CoC	CA-609 San Bernardino City & County CoC	CA-611 Oxnard, San Buenaventura/ Ventura County CoC
The CoC’s board and decisionmaking bodies are representative of the population served in the CoC.	✓	✓	✓
The CoC has identified steps it will take to help the CoC board and decisionmaking bodies better reflect the population served in the CoC	✓	✓		✓
The CoC is expanding outreach in geographic areas with higher concentrations of underrepresented groups	✓		✓	✓
The CoC has communication, such as flyers, websites, or other materials, inclusive of underrepresented groups	✓		✓
The CoC is training staff working in the homeless services sector to better understand racism and the intersection of racism and homelessness				✓
The CoC is establishing professional development opportunities to identify and invest in emerging leaders of different races and ethnicities in the homelessness sector
The CoC has staff, committees or other resources charged with analyzing and addressing racial disparities related to homelessness	✓	✓		✓
The CoC is educating organizations, stakeholders, boards of directors for local and national non-profit organizations working on homelessness on the topic of creating greater racial and ethnic diversity		✓
The CoC reviewed coordinated entry processes to understand their impact on people of different races and ethnicities experiencing homelessness		✓		✓
The CoC is collecting data to better understand the pattern of program use for people of different races and ethnicities in its homeless services system	✓	✓		✓
The CoC is conducting additional research to understand the scope and needs of different races or ethnicities experiencing homelessness	✓	✓		✓
Other:	✓	✓	✓