What to Expect from HomelessStrategy.com
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; and
- assist you in helping other local stakeholders and decision-makers shape local policies by promoting the practices published here.
Policy
This site will continuously provide current information for visitors to use to help local stakeholders and decision-makers shape local policies to solve homelessness and increase affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing for homeless persons who are languishing on the streets.
As a visitor you will have access to briefs, reports, fact sheets, and other timely commentary and analyses that focus on the same or similar issues around homelessness and housing that you are facing in your community.
Comparing California’s 2019 Homeless Count Results to 2018 Results by Regions and Continuums of Care
–See California Continuums of Care (CoCs) Map Noting Increase or Decrease for Each CoC– –all 44 California CoCs had a collective increase of 16.4% (see Table 1)– –all 23 Northern California CoCs had a collective increase of 22.6% (see Table 2)– –all 8 Central California CoCs had a collective increase of 18.8% (see Table 3)–…
Read MoreCaveats When Comparing California’s 2018 and 2019 Homeless Count Results
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires continuums of care (CoCs) to complete an unsheltered and sheltered homeless count every other year, which occurs on odd-number years such as 2019. Completing an unsheltered count during an even number year is optional. HUD requires CoCs to complete a sheltered count every year. If…
Read MoreLegislation and Funding
This site also includes updates, commentary, and analysis concerning the numerous California Assembly and Senate bills recently signed into law. These bills provide a wide range of new regulatory resources designed to help create local solutions for local homelessness and lack of affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing.
These bills often provide funding resources to help implement local solutions for local homelessness based on evidence-based and best practices. Funding resources are also available to increase affordable housing development.
Reserving Homeless Housing, Assistance, & Prevention Program (HHAP) Funding for Morbidity/Mortality Prevention
–Homeless persons left languishing on the streets with life-threatening and terminal illnesses Has become a burgeoning crisis throughout the State of California– –If each jurisdiction dedicated at least 10% of its non-competitive allocation of HHAP funding, a collective $65 million could be committed to morbidity/mortality prevention– (estimates of HHAP Funding by Urban Initiatives for counties,…
Read MoreRecent Legislation Continues to Shape a State-wide Strategy for Ending Chronic Homelessness
–Low Barrier Navigation Centers are now a “use by right” throughout California as noted below– –Finding Space to Solve Chronic Homelessness is Critical– –Leveraging State with Federal & Local Public and Private Funding is Crucial– AB 101 was recently signed into law by the Governor, which took immediate effect. On page 20, Ch 159, section…
Read MorePractices
As a visitor you will also learn about how policies and plans are influencing and generating evidence-based, best, promising, and emerging practices through briefs, reports, fact sheets, and other timely commentary and analysis.
You will learn how various counties and cities are adopting and generating these practices in ways that solve issues unique to their jurisdictions. Issues involve chronic homelessness, criminalization of homelessness, episodic homelessness, and at-risk of homelessness. While the many issues currently contributing to homelessness may not be new for many visitors to the site, in-depth examinations into some of these issues may be.
How Many California Continuums of Care Demonstrated the Ability to Reallocate Lower Performing Projects to Create New Higher Performing Projects Based on Performance Review of Existing Projects?
-Table 1 Lists Those That Did and Those That Did Not- As part of the 2018 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program competition, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) asked CoC applicants to “Demonstrate the ability to reallocate lower performing projects to create new higher performing projects that is based on performance review…
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How Many Total Temporary and Permanent Supportive Beds for Homeless Persons Are There in California and How Many Are Participating in the Homeless Management Information System?
Highlights: There are at least 131,187 temporary and permanent beds; 70% of temporary and permanent beds are in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS); Primary reasons why there is difficulty achieving HUD’s 85% goal: Limited participation by HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program; and Limited participation of privately funded organizations including faith-based organizations; See Table…
Read MoreA wide-range of solutions will be offered here. Some of them may be new to you. Some of them may not be. However, we believe that you will discover new facets to familiar ideas and read about innovations connected to these ideas of which you may not yet be aware.
You are encouraged to read the insights published here, review the posted comments from others, and provide your own comments.