Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness in California (2025-2027)

Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness in California 2025 - 2027 APPROVED BY COUNCIL DECEMBER 2024 MORE INFORMATION: BCSH.CA.GOV/CALICH California Interagency Council on Homelessness CAL ICH Blank Page A Message from Governor Gavin Newsom I applaud the California Interagency Council on Homelessness for their work in developing this Action Plan. It is not just a report of our investments, but a directive for continued accountability and action towards specific quantifiable goals. Under my Administration, California has made unprecedented investments to address homelessness, dedicating billions of dollars to building affordable housing, expanding essential services, and supporting our most vulnerable residents. The investments and our work are producing strong results. California has bucked national trends by blunting our state’s decades-long increase in people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. We have increased the number of people accessing shelter and services statewide. We’re doing more than ever to keep people from becoming homeless in the first place, and we have increased accountability to ensure that everyone is doing their part to address homelessness in their communities. Our state’s efforts are improving people’s lives, but we know there is still much more to do. The success of this effort depends on our shared commitment to the Californians counting on us. Together, let us rise to meet this moment and make the promise of a better California for all. 3 A Message from the Cal ICH Co-Chairs With the adoption of California’s three-year Statewide Action three years, this plan will drive measurable change by expanding Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, we embark on a housing, streamlining services, and centering the voices and transformative journey to address one of the most urgent crises needs of those who are most impacted by homelessness. facing our state. California has made unprecedented investments This effort demands bold leadership from each and every to address the housing and homelessness crises, with $40 billion Councilmember. We must all strive to match the ambitious goals invested to help communities create more housing and $27 billion of this plan by steadfastly implementing innovative solutions provided to communities to help prevent and end homelessness. and relentlessly focusing on data-driven outcomes. This three- Core strategies to achieving these goals have included: year plan provides us with a clear roadmap to reduce inequities, • Creating innovative financing mechanisms, such as Homekey strengthen local partnerships, and transform our systems. and Community Care Expansion, to spur the creation of new We are inspired by the dedication of our partners, including local housing units and residential settings. governments, federal agencies, community-based organizations, • Providing communities with flexible resources that include and individuals with lived experience. This collaborative spirit will strengthened accountability to ensure impact, such as the be the key to our success as we align our efforts to make a lasting Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) and impact. Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) programs. To our fellow Councilmembers: This is a defining moment. Let us • Embedding housing interventions into the social safety net to lead with urgency, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the meet the needs of families, seniors, and adults with disabilities. Californians who need us most. Together, we can and will create a future where homelessness is rare, brief and one-time. • Reforming the behavioral health care system and expanding housing interventions through CalAIM’s transformation of Medi-Cal and the Behavioral Health Services Act. This three-year Action Plan is more than a strategy—it is a shared commitment to ensure every Californian has access to safe, stable, and supportive housing. As co-chairs of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, we are proud to lead this effort, which builds on Secretary, Tomiquia Moss Secretary, Kim Johnson this Administration’s unprecedented investments and a renewed California Business, Consumer California Health and Human focus on equity, accountability, and collaboration. Over the next Services and Housing Agency Services Agency CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 4 California Interagency Council on Homelessness Membership at Time of Plan Adoption Tomiquia Moss (Co-Chair) Veronica Lewis Jennifer Troia Secretary, Business, Consumer Services Director of HOPICS, Special Service for Director, Department of Social Services and Housing Agency Groups (appointed by Speaker of the Assembly) Gustavo Velasquez Kim Johnson (Co-Chair) Director, Department of Housing and Secretary, California Health and Human Jeffrey Macomber Community Development Services Agency Secretary, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Nancy Ward Director, Governor’s Office of Emergency Tomás J. Aragón William McGee Services State Public Health Officer and Director, Director of the Student Achievement Department of Public Health Support Division, California Department Marina Wiant of Education Executive Director, Tax Credit Allocation Michelle Baass Committee Director, Department of Health Care Kaina Pereira Services Executive Director, CA Workforce Joe Xavier Development Board Director, Department of Rehabilitation Stephanie Clendenin Director, Department of State Hospitals Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy Vice Chancellor for Educational Services, Susan DeMarois Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Director, Department of Aging Lindsey Sin Tiena Johnson Hall Secretary, California Department of Executive Director, Housing Finance Veterans Affairs Agency Tony Tavares Margot Kushel Director, Department of Transportation Director, UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 5 Acknowledgments The Interagency Council extends its gratitude to all parties that California Interagency Council on Homelessness provided their feedback in the development of the Action Plan. Staff Acknowledgements This includes, but is not limited to: staff from all Council member All Cal ICH staff members played a part in the development of departments and agencies, Tribal community members, local this Plan and we are grateful for their partnership. A special government representatives, advocates, researchers, and thanks to the following people for their significant and ongoing individuals with lived experiences of homelessness. A special contributions to this work: thank you to members of the Cal ICH Lived Experience Advisory Board, Advisory Committee, and Racial Equity Working Group • Giselle Sanchez, Statewide Homelessness Policy Specialist who were deeply involved in the creation of this Plan. • Vevila Blossoming Bear, Cal ICH Tribal Liaison This Action Plan would not have been possible without the work • Nykole Sakihara, Statewide Action Plan Specialist (former) of Cal ICH consultant Matthew Doherty, who has supported the planning, development, and implementation of this Action • Jason Pace, Statewide Action Plan Specialist (current) Plan as well as all prior plans. Additionally, we want to thank Dr. LaMont Green and Lori Pampilo Harris for their work to ensure • Molly Miller, Research Data Specialist this plan centers equity in actionable ways. • Emery Reifsnyder, Senior Research Data Specialist We are grateful for the leadership of Dhakshike Wickrema, BCSH • Abegail Aquino, HDIS IT Manager Deputy Secretary for Homelessness, and Corrin Buchanan, CalHHS Deputy Secretary for Policy and Strategic Planning, who • Sydney Bennet, Director of Research provided critical guidance and thought partnership that made this Plan as strategic and effective as possible. • Cody Zeger, Director of Statewide Policy Finally, we are thankful for the current and former members • Courtney Tacker, Director of Policy and Innovation of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, who • Meghan Marshall, Executive Officer were determined to create a bold, measurable, and action- oriented Plan that sets California on a path to prevent and end homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 6 Table of Contents Action Plan Overview ................................ 8 ACTION AREA 1: Vision and Guiding Principles ........................ 12 Improving People’s Access Homelessness in California ..........................19 to Housing & Services | 47 Goals ............................................23 Strategic Investments............................... 31 AACCTTIIOONN AARREEAA 22:: Action Areas ......................................45 Coordinating & Streamlining State Programs | 57 Implementation Plan ............................... 91 ACTION AREA 3: Engaging Partners & Appendices .......................................94 Communities | 66 Appendix A: The California Interagency Council on Homelessness .................................. 95 Appendix B: Advisory and Implementation ACTION AREA 4: Groups to Drive Progress ............................ 97 Using Data Strategically | 75 Appendix C: State Actions to Address Tribal Homelessness ............................... 102 ACTION AREA 5: Appendix D: Plan Development Processes Advancing Best Practices and Public Engagement ............................1 06 & Quality | 83 Appendix E: List of Acronyms and Meanings Used Within Action Plan ............................ 107 7 Action Plan Overview The California Interagency Council on Homelessness The California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is the State’s facilitator, coordinator, and leader for policy development and research to support state and local jurisdictions in their work to prevent and end homelessness in California. Cal ICH convenes the state’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (Council), a voting body comprised of leaders from 18 state departments and agencies as well as two members of the public appointed by the Legislature. Its work is guided by this Action Plan. The first Action Plan was adopted by the Council in March 2021 and has been updated annually since. This new Plan focuses the Council’s work around bold, measurable goals, the strategic investments that help achieve those goals, and the actions each member department and agency is taking to ensure those investments are effective and coordinated. Action Plan Overview CURRENT PROBLEM: 5 people served, 1 person housed THREE-YEAR GOAL: 5 people served, 3 people housed NORTH STAR: 5 people served, 5 people housed 8 The Plan: The Plan’s strategic and highly coordinated Action Plan Overview approach to preventing and ending homelessness is centered around our north star of having a housing placement for every person served. Over the next three years, the Action Plan’s five ambitious goals seek to increase the portion of The Problem: people with access to permanent housing, so that Currently, according to HDIS data, for every five for every five people served, three are housed. individuals who access homelessness services in California, only one is housed each year, leaving four unhoused – a stark indicator of the gap in housing and services available for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. The Goals: To accomplish this vision, the Council will be driven by five interconnected goals, which together create a comprehensive framework for understanding our progress. Over the course of this three-year The Vision: Plan, our ultimate goal is to be able to house at Through the adoption of this Action Plan, the least three out of every five people accessing Council seeks to create an equitable and just homelessness services. California in which homelessness is rare, brief, and never more than a one-time experience. Our North Star is to have a housing placement available for every person experiencing homelessness who needs one. The Work: In order to reach these goals, the Action Plan lays out strategic investments made and Actions taken by each Council member department and agency to prevent and end homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 9 ACTION Using this Plan five Action Areas (page 45) detail additional work departments PLAN and agencies are taking on in order to enhance the state’s OVERVIEW This Action Plan is a three-year roadmap for addressing homelessness response over the next three years. Each Action homelessness in California between 2025 and 2027. It is Area includes a Racial Equity Framework that can help guide the designed to serve as a tool the Council will use to organize development and implementation of the state’s work, ensuring and assess its investments, ensuring that efforts are strategic, it always centers equity. The Implementation Plan (page 91) measurable, and aligned with our shared vision of preventing outlines steps for executing the Action Plan, including annual and ending homelessness. performance measurement. The Plan opens with the Council’s Vision (page 12), ensuring Finally, the appendices provide additional details on Cal ICH’s alignment among Council departments and agencies toward work, the development of this Plan, and a glossary of acronyms. a shared end goal. The Guiding Principles and Commitments By outlining its coordinated strategies and clear performance (page 13) outline best practices critical to achieving this vision, metrics, the Plan demonstrates the level of coordination and which Council members have agreed to in the adoption of this collaboration required to effectively address homelessness and plan. The five Action Plan Goals (page 23) set measurable provides insight into the state’s efforts to do so. The Council targets to drive outcomes and assess progress toward our vision. also hopes this plan is utilized by local jurisdictions and external The Strategic Investments (page 31) represent state-funded partners to ensure coordination in the work to prevent and end or administered programs contributing to these goals, and the homelessness goes beyond state partners. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 10 ACTION Action Plan Goals PLAN OVERVIEW GOAL 1 GOAL 3 Help more people leave unsheltered homelessness Ensure people do not experience homelessness again Increase the annual percentage of people who move into emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent Ensure that at least 95% of people who move into permanent housing after experiencing unsheltered homelessness, from housing do not experience homelessness within six months. 42% to at least 70%. Reduce overrepresentation of people Monitor return rates among people who identify as Black who identify as Black or African American, Native American or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander to determine what among those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. disparities must be addressed. GOAL 2 GOAL 4 Help more people move into housing Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness Increase the annual percentage of people experiencing homelessness who move into permanent housing from Increase access to publicly-funded health and social safety 18% to at least 60%. Ensure that people who identify net services for people at-risk of homelessness in order to as Black or African American, Native American or address health and economic vulnerabilities. Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander exit to permanent housing at rates sufficient to account for their overrepresentation among people experiencing GOAL 5 homelessness. Create more housing Permit more than 1.5 million homes, with no less than 710,000 of those meeting the needs of low- and very low- income households. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 11 Vision and Guiding Principles Vision Through the adoption of this Action Plan, the Council is embracing a simple but transformative vision: An equitable and just California in which homelessness is rare, brief, and never more than a one-time experience. In pursuing this vision, Cal ICH seeks to create a strong homelessness response system that: • Equitably addresses the health, safety, and services needs of Californians experiencing unsheltered homelessness; • Expands community capacity to provide safe and effective sheltering and interim housing; • Expands and ensures equitable access to permanent housing in all communities; and • Prevents Californians from experiencing homelessness. 12 VISION Guiding Principles and Commitments AND GUIDING To ensure our work is centered around our shared vision of an PRINCIPLES equitable and just California in which homelessness is rare, brief, and never more than a one-time experience, the Council recognizes its member departments and agencies must commit to a set of eight guiding principles. By adopting this Plan, member departments and agencies commit to following these guiding principles to the best of their abilities. Cal ICH staff also commit to developing resources and guidance for them to do so through our Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB), Advisory Committee, Interagency Working Groups, and more. The Plan’s guiding principles should deeply shape the design and implementation of the strategic investments and actions described later in this document. The Council further acknowledges that the current work identified may not be sufficient to fully achieve the Plan’s vision and therefore encourages all future work on housing and homelessness to be aligned with the Plan’s vision and guiding principles as well. The following pages provide details on the guiding principles and the respective commitments that member departments and agencies have made through their adoption of this Plan. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 13 VISION Advancing Racial Equity and Justice Increasing Access to Resources for California’s AND Tribal Communities GUIDING The vision for this Plan intentionally leads with equity and justice. PRINCIPLES Cal ICH recognizes that homelessness disproportionately affects California is home to 109 Federally Recognized Tribes, with communities identifying as Black or African American, Native over 80 more petitioning for federal recognition. California American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Tribes face greater barriers and have fewer resources to address The disproportionate negative impacts of involvement in the homelessness than local jurisdictions and are rarely considered criminal legal system, lack of access to quality and affordable in the development of local homelessness solutions. Further, health care, housing discrimination, and the continued impact of Tribes experience severe disparities in homelessness compared redlining policies, along with a host of other socially determined to the general population and experience poorer outcomes in factors, have had catastrophic impacts on these communities. other areas such as poverty, unemployment, substance use These racial inequities have also been perpetuated by public disorders, and mental health challenges. This is the impact of policies that actively work to disadvantage these communities colonization, a failure to meaningfully include and consider and therefore require urgent, innovative, and sustained actions Tribes, and systemic and ongoing racism. Cal ICH has learned to address, reduce, and eventually eliminate these disparities. from Tribal engagements and consultation that state funding Preventing and ending homelessness requires designing and set asides designed for other jurisdictions are rarely accessible implementing programs and services alongside these specific to Tribes due to their unique needs and varying levels of populations in order to effectively meet their needs, measure infrastructure. Cal ICH recognizes that to support Tribes to progress and outcomes towards reducing racial disparities, and address homelessness in their communities, government must provide staff with the tools and training they need to effectively work to rebuild relationships with Tribes in culturally implement equitable and inclusive homelessness programs. Cal responsive ways. ICH currently facilitates a Racial Equity Working Group designed to act as a resource for the Council in maintaining a dedicated focus on addressing racial inequities within its work to prevent Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member and end homelessness (see Appendix B). departments and agencies commit to meaningfully partnering with Tribal communities across the state to better understand their needs and ensure that policies, programs, and funding Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member are accessible and culturally responsive. departments and agencies commit to ensuring racial equity is built into the design, implementation, and evaluation of all programs and funding, in order to address the racial inequities that we know exist in homelessness. Cal ICH will utilize its Racial Equity Working Group to provide resources and guidance to support state and local partners to center equity in its work. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 14 VISION Creating Solutions for the Full Diversity of People Seeking, Valuing, and Acting Upon the Expertise of AND Experiencing Homelessness People with Lived Experiences of Homelessness GUIDING PRINCIPLES Preventing and ending homelessness requires creating a In order to create effective programs that meet people’s diversity of services to meet the needs of all people who diverse needs, our systems, programs, and decision-making experience homelessness. In addition to race and ethnicity, must be deeply informed by people with lived experiences of factors such as gender, sexuality, age, family structure, veteran homelessness. Incorporating people’s lived experience into status, disability, and more play a role in determining one’s risk decision making goes beyond simple inclusion, as it must ensure of experiencing homelessness. This requires a shift from one- that those with firsthand knowledge are actively developing and size-fits-all approaches to targeted, goal-driven strategies that shaping solutions. While individuals with lived experience may meet the needs of all people. Services should be accessible, not always represent the majority opinion, their perspectives are flexible, and continuously adjusted to address emerging gaps invaluable and should be prioritized, especially where funding in care. Assessments should be conducted regularly to identify decisions are made. Programs designed alongside people who the needs of these subgroups and ensure that existing services have experienced homelessness can be more effective because adequately address them. they incorporate expertise on what does and does not work to prevent and end homelessness. When doing this work, people with lived experience must be appropriately compensated for their time. Cal ICH facilitates a Lived Experience Advisory Board Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member that convenes regularly to review and provide feedback so that departments and agencies commit to designing and funding programs that serve the wide diversity of needs that people Council decisions and programs that will effectively work to have when experiencing homelessness as well as continuing to achieve its vision (see Appendix B). assess those programs to ensure they meet people’s evolving needs. Through the adoption of this Plan, Cal ICH and its member departments and agencies commit to engaging with people with lived experiences of homelessness in the design and implementation of our programs, developing trusted relationships with these groups to receive ongoing feedback, and encouraging local partners and grantees to do the same. Cal ICH will utilize its LEAB to provide resources and guidance that support state and local partners to center the leadership of people with lived experiences of homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 15 VISION Strengthening Housing First Approaches Balancing Prevention, Crisis Response, AND and Permanent Housing Solutions GUIDING Housing First is an evidence-based model that uses housing as PRINCIPLES a tool, rather than a reward, for recovery and that centers on While recognizing that permanent housing is the only true connecting people experiencing homelessness to permanent solution to homelessness, hundreds of thousands of Californians housing as quickly as possible. Housing First is not housing are experiencing the urgent crises of homelessness every single only: Housing First approaches offer services as needed and day. Therefore, preventing and ending homelessness requires requested by participants. Housing is never contingent on the provision of housing and service options that can address participation in these services, but services are offered to the various stages of homelessness someone may experience. support long-term success. Additionally, providers must make First and foremost, preventing homelessness whenever possible clear the full set of services available for participants, ensuring must be at the core of this work and is crucial to an effective they are fully informed and empowered to make the best homelessness response system. This includes identifying who choices for their needs. It is crucial to acknowledge that while is at risk of homelessness and providing them with housing, housing is a fundamental step, there are still significant gaps financial assistance, and other services that can help prevent in providing individuals with the comprehensive, wraparound their homelessness in the first place. Additionally, when people services—such as mental health support, job training, and do fall into homelessness, they must have the option to move substance use treatment—that are essential for maintaining into shelter or other interim settings as quickly as possible to long-term stability and preventing returns to homelessness. avoid the numerous health and safety risks associated with California has a legal commitment to implement all state unsheltered homelessness. Finally, there must be adequate homelessness and housing programs using a Housing First permanent housing options available for all people experiencing approach to remove barriers, ensure people have access to homelessness and their varying needs. For example, while the housing and services necessary to support their success, some people do require the long-term placement and and reduce returns to homelessness. intensive services available in permanent supportive housing environments, others may benefit from limited-time rapid rehousing subsidies with fewer services. Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member departments and agencies commit to incorporating the Housing First statutory requirements into their relevant programs and funding, as well as working with their grantees Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member and local partners to ensure its proper implementation. departments and agencies commit to identifying the current balance of funding available for prevention, crisis response, and permanent housing solutions, and to assisting local governments in effectively building services that meet people’s needs in each of these stages. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 16 VISION Advancing Trauma-Informed Care and Aligning Health, Housing, and Homelessness AND Person-Centered Services Strategies GUIDING PRINCIPLES Experiences of homelessness can be caused by and/or lead to Cal ICH recognizes that housing and health are directly traumatic life events. Living without a safe and stable place to linked. Californians living without safe and stable housing face call home can create serious stress and amplify other health numerous mental and physical health risks that cannot be challenges that people are facing. As a result, mental health addressed without housing as a centerpiece of care. The State is and substance use issues can be created or exacerbated by implementing profound reforms within its Medi-Cal program and homelessness. In order to effectively address the needs of providing funding to ensure those most vulnerable people have people experiencing homelessness without causing further equitable opportunities to access housing and improve their harm, services must be trauma-informed and person-centered. wellbeing. Trauma-informed care acknowledges the need to understand a person’s life experiences in order to deliver effective care and has the potential to improve engagement, treatment Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member adherence, and health outcomes. Person-centered care refers departments and agencies commit to making crucial health to services that are responsive to individuals’ goals, values, and resources available to all people experiencing homelessness preferences, empowering them to take an active role in their as well as integrating such resources with housing and care. It is also essential to recognize that individuals with lived homelessness services. experiences of homelessness, including those hired as staff or in advisory positions, may still be affected by trauma. Organizations should ensure they have the proper resources in place to support these individuals. Service providers too must be equipped with trauma-informed training so that providers can recognize and respond to trauma, fostering a culture of healing for both those receiving and delivering services. Through the adoption of this plan, Cal ICH and its member departments and agencies commit to requiring the use of trauma-informed and person-centered care throughout their programs as well as providing resources to their grantees to allow them to utilize those strategies effectively. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 17 Equity in the Action Plan • Increasing resources equitably by including by-us-for-us community-based organizations who have established trust with racially marginalized groups and Tribal Nations. As Cal ICH departments and agencies work toward the shared By integrating these racial equity frameworks into each Action vision of preventing and ending homelessness, it is critical Area, this Action Plan offers concrete approaches to more that our collective strategies confront the growing racial effectively address the complex and interconnected factors inequities that disproportionately impact Black or African contributing to homelessness and increasing racial disparities. American, Native American or Indigenous, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. In order to reduce the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness across California, including on Tribal lands, this If these racial equity frameworks are not supported and Action Plan integrates racial equity frameworks into its design implemented effectively, Cal ICH acknowledges that the so that its implementation truly addresses the root causes of State’s work could continue to perpetuate deep disparities homelessness. by creating ineffective and harmful solutions, eroding trust from the unhoused community, misallocating resources that Racial equity frameworks, described within each Action can unintentionally worsen homelessness, and growing public Area, will be employed for successful implementation and discontent that can damage the credibility and support for achievement of the Action Plan’s goals. These frameworks help the work. ensure that our strategies are equitable and effective by: • Collecting and analyzing data disaggregated by race and other demographics to identify disparities and target interventions The Racial Equity Working Group will serve as an advisor and more effectively; accountability partner; analyze and monitor data with a racial equity lens to refine the State’s objectives and activities; engage • Involving historically disenfranchised communities with Black or African American, Native American or Indigenous, overrepresented in homelessness in the planning and and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander communities to co- decision-making processes; design effective interventions; transform statewide policies • Providing training and technical assistance for system and programs; recommend funding strategies to more partners and service providers on cultural humility, trauma- effectively address root causes; and launch the Racial Equity informed care, harm-reduction, de-escalation, and other Implementation Hub to ensure that the Action Plan is equitable models and practices to ensure they understand and respect and effectively implemented. the cultural backgrounds of the people they serve and offer culturally responsive services that build trust; and For more information on the Racial Equity Working Group and Racial Equity Implementation Hub, see Appendix B. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 18 Homelessness in California Data Sources The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires each Continuum of Care (CoC) in the country to operate a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which is a local information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to individuals and families at risk of and experiencing homelessness. California is the only state to have invested in a statewide data warehouse that compiles data from each CoC’s HMIS. That data warehouse is the Homeless Data Integration System (HDIS). California’s HDIS provides information about service coordination throughout the state by identifying patterns of service usage across geographic regions and supporting efforts to identify and address racial and other inequalities among people experiencing homelessness. This information can be used to support technical assistance, planning, funding, and coordination decisions, but it is important to note HDIS cannot report on data that is not captured in HMIS. Unless otherwise noted, all data on people experiencing homelessness or accessing homelessness services in this Plan come from HDIS and only contains the information captured in that database. 19 HOMELESSNESS Overview of Homelessness in California • Natural Disasters and Climate Change: Events like wildfires IN and droughts have displaced thousands, pushing many into CALIFORNIA Homelessness remains a significant challenge in California, homelessness. which accounts for about 24% of the homeless population in the Disparities United States. According to the 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, over 187,000 people experience homelessness in California The crisis of homelessness does not fall equally on all on a given night, representing a 3% increase from 2023—a Californians. Homelessness data reflects stark racial inequities lower increase than seen nationally. Of these Californian’s and the impacts of systemic racism. Compared to the overall experiencing homelessness, 66% are unsheltered (living in population of California, those accessing homelessness services streets, parks, or vehicles), compared to about 36% nationally. in 2023 were: According to HDIS, the number of people who accessed • Four times more likely to identify as Black or African homelessness services in 2023 was 340,000 people, nearly American, double the above Point-in-Time Count estimate for that year. This means that nearly 1 in every 100 Californians accessed • Two times more likely to identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific homelessness services at some point in 2023. Islander, and Key Factors Contributing to Homelessness • Two times more likely to identify as American Indian or in California Indigenous. For this reason, much of this Plan’s discussion of racial Several interconnected factors drive homelessness in the state: disparities focuses on those three groups. • Housing Affordability Crisis: California has some of the highest housing costs in the country, with the median home price exceeding $700,000 and rents averaging over $2,000 per month. • Economic Inequality: Despite its wealth, the income inequality in California leaves many low-income households vulnerable to displacement. • Systemic Barriers: Insufficient mental health services, substance use treatment, and support systems exacerbate homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 20 Rate of people Black or African American 351 accessing services Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 182 while experiencing homelessness American Indian or Indigenous 176 (per 10K) among All 91 all Californians in 2023 Hispanic / Latino 84 White 83 Asian or Asian America 13 HOMELESSNESS Additionally, of those accessing homelessness services: definition includes children and youth who are doubled up in IN overcrowded housing or are living in hotels, motels, or other CALIFORNIA • 13% were unaccompanied youth (aged 24 or younger), places not intended for long-term or permanent occupancy, in addition to other categories not included in the HUD definition of • 49% reported having a disabling condition, homelessness. • 22% reported having experienced domestic violence, Data Limitations • 7% identified as veterans, and What is less clear from the data are the experiences of • 96% of people accessed homelessness services within one people whose information does not get captured in local Continuum of Care. HMIS databases. HDIS includes data from programs that According to the California Department of Education, over receive many types of state and federal funding, but does 210,000 students experienced homelessness during the 2023- not include programs that primarily serve people who have 24 school year. This differs from the HDIS data above because experienced domestic violence, or providers affiliated with Tribal it utilizes a broader definition of homelessness as defined by communities. The Council and its partners have identified some the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This of these limitations in currently available data. Examples include: CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 21 HOMELESSNESS • Those living in overcrowded housing situations, who are Why Data Matters in Addressing Homelessness IN doubled-up, or are couch surfing, many of whom identify as CALIFORNIA Hispanic or Latinx, are Native American or Indigenous, or may Data serves as a cornerstone for developing effective policies be young adults. These groups may not access homelessness and interventions to address homelessness. Here’s why: services for reasons including ineligibility, not being prioritized 1. Informed Decision-Making: Accurate data enables for services, or not self-identifying as needing homelessness policymakers to identify the scale and demographics of services and are therefore likely underrepresented in homelessness, ensuring targeted and efficient allocation of this data. resources. • People experiencing unsheltered homelessness who are not 2. Tracking Progress: Data helps monitor the impact of programs in contact with any service providers through outreach or and strategies, allowing for adjustments and improvements other situations. based on evidence. • Communities who do not feel comfortable accessing 3. Tailored Interventions: Subpopulation-specific data (e.g., government-funded services, such as those with a mistrust on youth, veterans, or families) helps design programs that of state and local governments and publicly-funded services. address the unique needs of different groups. Since HDIS tracks service utilization, these groups would not be reflected in the data. 4. Collaboration and Coordination: Data facilitates collaboration by creating a shared understanding of the issue. • Data collection efforts do not reach all populations effectively. For example, Tribal communities in California In order to effectively address existing disparities, Council report rates of homelessness up to 50%, however, there member departments and agencies must understand the current are no current methods of accurate data collection across disparities and challenges to obtaining accurate data and Tribal communities. Tribal-affiliated service providers are commit to tailoring solutions to the needs of specific populations. not required to report data to HMIS and Tribal communities With this in mind, this Plan, under Action Area #4, attempts are rarely included in Point-in-Time counts. Therefore, data to expand data integration across programs and systems, on homelessness in these communities is not accurately measure impacts, and conduct robust analyses on data to better represented in HDIS. understand homelessness in California. • Within each of these demographic categories, there are In the following section, we discuss the Plan’s goals, which are important intersections with other demographics, such designed to show measurable progress toward preventing and as age, LGBTQ+ identities, disability status, and/or family ending homelessness in California, including the work to address structure. For example, subpopulations that exist based on racial disparities. nationality or other factors within racial and ethnic groups, can experience homelessness at widely varying rates that are hidden when data is shown at a high level. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 22 Action Plan Goals In implementing this Plan, the Council aims to support local homelessness response systems to provide housing and services to everyone experiencing homelessness. This is the “north star” we will use to orient our work. Currently, according to HDIS data, for every five individuals who access homelessness services in California, only one is able to access permanent housing that year, leaving a gap of four people who continue to experience homelessness. Over the course of this Plan, calendar years 2025 through 2027, the Council aims to reduce that gap in half, so that for every five people served, three people are placed in housing during the year. While the goals outlined in this Plan are rooted in data, we recognize they do not capture the full scope and complexity of homelessness in California. These goals should be seen as an opportunity for the state to begin measuring its progress and to seek other information to help provide important nuance to this work. In order to achieve these goals, the Plan focuses on addressing profound racial inequities and other disparities in risks and experiences of homelessness in California. For each goal, Cal ICH aims to reduce the overrepresentation of these populations among people experiencing homelessness, especially Black or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander communities. The Council recognizes that unique strategies may be needed to enable these different populations to reach these high-level goals. Therefore, for each goal, Cal ICH will disaggregate data by racial and ethnic group to understand inequities in access to services and housing that need to be addressed. 23 ACTION The following goals are intended to measure progress toward PLAN our north star of providing housing and services to everyone GOAL 3 GOALS experiencing homelessness. Ensure people do not experience homelessness again GOAL 1 Help more people leave unsheltered homelessness Ensure that at least 95% of people who move into permanent housing do not experience homelessness within six months. Monitor return rates among people who identify as Black Increase the annual percentage of people who move into or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander to determine what housing after experiencing unsheltered homelessness, from disparities must be addressed. 42% to at least 70%. Reduce overrepresentation of people who identify as Black or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander GOAL 4 among those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness GOAL 2 Help more people move into housing Increase access to publicly-funded health and social safety net services for people at-risk of homelessness in order to address health and economic vulnerabilities. Increase the annual percentage of people experiencing homelessness who move into permanent housing from 18% to at least 60%. Ensure that people who identify GOAL 5 as Black or African American, Native American or Create more housing Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander exit to permanent housing at rates sufficient to account for their overrepresentation among people experiencing Permit more than 1.5 million homes, with no less than homelessness. 710,000 of those meeting the needs of low- and very low- income households. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 24 ACTION The following pages describe the goals in greater detail and PLAN include: a “north star” that represents the state’s longer-term DEFINING OUR NORTH STARS: GOALS targets for each goal, baseline data from calendar year 2023 For each goal, the Council has identified the north star that we and its source, additional measures Cal ICH will aim to consider are ultimately striving to achieve, which require longer than when conducting annual performance measurement, and a brief the 3-year timeframe of this Plan. The Council will use these methodology for how each goal is measured. It is important to north stars as guides to ensure we are moving closer and closer note, goals #1, #2, and #3 use HDIS data, which only counts toward fully realizing the Plan’s vision of an equitable and just people who access services reported into local HMIS databases, California in which homelessness is rare, brief, and never more as described above. Baseline data may change as data quality than a one-time experience. Each goal in this Plan is designed and completeness improves, and as Cal ICH improves its to get us half-way to achieving the identified north stars in the next three years. methodology for calculating these goals. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 25 ACTION PLAN THREE-YEAR GOAL (2025 – 2027) GOAL 1 Help more people leave unsheltered homelessness Three Year Goal: 70% North Star: 100% Baseline Data: 42% (98,095) Increase the annual percentage of people who move into Ensure everyone experiencing of people who were emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing unsheltered homelessness experiencing unsheltered after experiencing unsheltered homelessness, from 42% to at enters into emergency shelter, homelessness moved into least 70%. Reduce overrepresentation of people who identify as interim housing, or permanent shelter or housing. Black or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and housing (100%). SOURCE: HDIS (CY 2023) Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander among those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Additional potential measurements: Methodology: • Increase the number and share of successful • Increase the number of people who leave The number of people who leave unsheltered placements from street outreach. unsheltered homelessness from state-funded homelessness, as reported in HDIS, includes programs. all people who access emergency shelter, • Monitor and address any disparities in transitional housing, or permanent housing shelter or housing placements among people • Ensure people who are served by the who either accessed services earlier in with substance use disorders, serious mental Encampment Resolution Funding Program, the year while experiencing unsheltered illness, and other disabling conditions. and other programs specifically focused on homelessness, or who reported living in addressing unsheltered homelessness, enter unsheltered conditions immediately prior • Reduce the amount of time people a sheltered setting. to entering emergency shelter, transitional experience unsheltered homelessness housing, or permanent housing. The percentage while receiving services, prior to entering a • Monitor racial and ethnic disparities in exits is calculated by dividing the number of people sheltered setting. to permanent housing, homelessness, and who leave unsheltered homelessness by the unknown destinations among people served • Improve shelter/housing access for total number of people who access services by the Encampment Resolution Funding unaccompanied minors experiencing while experiencing unsheltered homelessness Program. unsheltered homelessness. during the year, plus the total number of people who report living in unsheltered conditions immediately before entering emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent housing during the year. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 26 ACTION PLAN THREE-YEAR GOAL (2025 – 2027) GOAL 2 Help more people move into housing Three Year Goal: 60% North Star: 100% Baseline Data: 18% (63,512) Increase the annual percentage of people experiencing Ensure everyone accessing of people served exited homelessness who move into permanent housing from 18% to at homelessness services moves homelessness and moved into least 60%. Ensure that people who identify as Black or African into permanent housing permanent housing. American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian (100%). SOURCE: HDIS (CY 2023) or Pacific Islander exit to permanent housing at rates sufficient to address their overrepresentation among people experiencing homelessness. Additional potential measurements: Methodology: • Increase the total number of people moved • Increase the percentage of people who The number of people who move into into permanent housing each year. exit from emergency shelter to transitional housing, as reported in HDIS, includes people housing or permanent destinations. who access services while experiencing • Reduce the amount of time people homelessness and then move into permanent experience homelessness while accessing • Reducing the number of people who become housing during the same year. This includes services, prior to entering permanent chronically homeless. permanent housing inside the homelessness housing. response system (such as permanent • Increasing the number of unaccompanied supportive housing) as well as both subsidized • Monitor and address any disparities in minors and unaccompanied youth who exit and unsubsidized housing outside the system. housing placements among people with to permanent destinations. substance use disorders, serious mental • Increase the number of people served by and illness, and other medical needs/disabling exiting homelessness to permanent housing conditions. from projects funded by state programs. • Monitor the share of people exiting who receive subsidized housing. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 27 ACTION PLAN THREE-YEAR GOAL (2025 – 2027) GOAL 3 Ensure people do not experience homelessness again Three Year Goal: 95% North Star: 100% Baseline Data: 89% Ensure that at least 95% of people who move into permanent Ensure all people who move of people who exited housing do not experience homelessness within six months. into permanent housing do not homelessness and moved Monitor return rates among people who identify as Black or African experience homelessness again into permanent housing did American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or within 6 months (100%). not return to experiencing Pacific Islander to determine what disparities must be addressed. homelessness in 6 months. SOURCE: HDIS (CY 2023) Additional potential measurements: Methodology: • Reduce returns to homelessness across The percentage of people who do not return longer timeframes (e.g. within 1 and 2 years to homelessness, as reported in HDIS, of exiting to permanent housing). represents the share of those who exit from the homelessness response system during • Monitor and address any disparities in the first six months of the year, and do not returns to homelessness among people with return to accessing services while experiencing substance use disorders, serious mental homelessness within six months of their exit. illness, and other disabling conditions. • Reduce the percentage of people who exit into homelessness from permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing projects. • Monitor returns from subsidized housing and unsubsidized housing. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 28 ACTION PLAN THREE-YEAR GOAL (2025 – 2027) GOAL 4 Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness Three Year Goal: To be determined North Star: 100% Baseline Data (CY 2023): Increase access to publicly-funded health and social safety net Ensure everyone at-risk of Not yet available. services for people at-risk of homelessness in order to address experiencing homelessness who is health and economic vulnerabilities. eligible for publicly-funded health and social safety net services (such as Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, SSI, and others) have access to them. Additional potential measurements: Methodology: • Rates of access to publicly-funded health • Monitor improvements in access to benefits CalHHS and Cal ICH are launching a and social safety net services for people among people accessing services. homelessness data integration project to currently experiencing homelessness. determine the methodology for measuring this • Monitor equity in access to homelessness goal in 2025. Once this project is completed, • Monitor and address any disparities in prevention and social services through the Cal ICH will provide baseline data and set a enrollment and receipt of benefits among homelessness response system. numeric goal for the remaining duration of people with substance use disorders, this Action Plan. Cal ICH will also explore data • Monitor utilization of primary and/ serious mental illness, and other disabling sharing agreements with other Council member or preventative care among people conditions. departments and agencies, including CDCR, to experiencing homelessness. support the measurement of this goal. • Monitor and address any geographic • Monitor other indicators of homelessness disparities in enrollment and receipt of prevention, such as graduation rates among benefits. students, and reduce racial and ethnic • Analyze service use data among people disparities in these rates. enrolled in Medi-Cal to assess provision of • Monitor and reduce the instance of people treatment to people with medical needs. experiencing homelessness after exiting state institutional settings, including but not limited to, state prisons and foster care. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 29 ACTION PLAN THREE-YEAR GOAL (2025 – 2027) GOAL 5 Create more housing Three Year Goal: More permits North Star: 100% Baseline Data: 890,000 units Permit more than 1.5 million homes, with no less than Permit 2.5 million homes by 2030, have been permitted since 710,000 of those meeting the needs of low- and very low- with no less than 1 million of those 2018, 126,000 of those being income households. for low- and very low-income low- and very low-income units. households, as outlined in California’s SOURCE: HOUSING ELEMENTS ANNUAL Statewide Housing Plan and in PROGRESS REPORT DASHBOARD (CY 2023) alignment with the statewide housing goal. Additional potential measurements: Methodology: • Disaggregate progress towards state • Monitor the number of units built by The number of units permitted and built permitting goals by affordability level, affordability level. is reported by jurisdictions in their annual including for extremely low and acutely low- progress report-to-date through the 6th Cycle • Monitor number of units reserved for special income households. Regional Housing Needs Assessment as of populations. October 2024, and aggregated by the California • Monitor the share of jurisdictions that reach Department of Housing and Community • Monitor the number of tax credit-subsidized their low-income permitting goals; the share Development. The baseline number of units units constructed or rehabilitated that are that reach their very low-income permitting were permitted between 2018 and 2023. Units affordable for low-income households, goals; and the share that reach their overall are determined to meet the needs of low- including units for large families and for permitting goals. and very low-income households if they are seniors. affordable to households whose incomes do not exceed qualifying limits. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 30 Strategic Investments In working toward the Action Plan’s bold vision, Council member departments and agencies are responsible for implementing a set of strategic investments that contribute to one or more of the goals set by this Plan. These include investments from the State general fund or federal passthrough dollars that the State administers. They do not include federal or private dollars not administered by the state (i.e. Emergency Housing Vouchers, Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing, etc.) Investments listed are current at the time of this Plan’s adoption (December 2024) but may be impacted by future state and federal budget decisions. Should a strategic investment be impacted or discontinued due to state or federal funding, it will be noted in the appropriate annual update. These investments seek to contribute to our goals by: • Expanding the supply of permanent, affordable, and supportive housing units for people at-risk and experiencing homelessness. • Providing rental subsidies and other financial assistance to support more people to move into permanent housing. • Increasing shelter and interim housing options available in communities to reduce unsheltered homelessness. • Supporting expanded diversion and prevention services so that people do not become homeless. • Creating stronger connections to physical and behavioral health care services to support people to thrive. • Providing access to an array of supportive services that foster housing stability, connect people to benefits, and/or help people to secure employment and achieve their goals. 31 STRATEGIC Below is a table that lists the state-funded or administered Year 1 (January – December 2025): Council departments and INVESTMENTS investments that contribute directly to one or more of the Action agencies begin to collect data on the outcomes associated with Plan’s goals. Alongside each investment, the table includes each goal for their respective strategic investments. marks that identify which Plan goals that investment contributes Year 2 (January – December 2026): Cal ICH reports out on to. In order to help the Council understand what impact its collective progress made toward each Plan goal during Year 1. investments are having on each goal, future performance Begin to identify successes and challenges involved in this work. measurement will focus on identifying the collective outcomes of the Council’s work as follows: Year 3 (January – December 2027): Cal ICH reports out on collective progress made toward each Plan goal during Year 2. Shares recommendations with Council on additional policies, programs, areas of focus, etc. needed to meet goals and lessons learned from implementation. Summary of Action Plan Goals Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people move Ensure people do not Prevent more people Create more housing leave unsheltered into housing become homeless again from experiencing homelessness homelessness Measures Annual percentage of Annual percentage of Annual percent of people Number of people at- Number of units people experiencing people experiencing who move into permanent risk of homelessness permitted. unsheltered homelessness homelessness who move housing and do not connected to publicly- who move into a sheltered into permanent housing. experience homelessness funded health and social setting. again within six months. safety net programs. Goal Targets At least 70% At least 60% At least 95% Not yet available. More than 1.5 million homes North Stars 100% 100% 100% 100% 2.5 million homes Baseline Data 42% (98,095) of people 18% (63,512) of 89% of people who CalHHS and Cal ICH 890,000 units permitted (CY 2023) who were experiencing people served exited exited homelessness and launching homelessness since 2018, with 126,000 unsheltered homelessness homelessness and moved moved into permanent data integration project to of those being low- and moved into a sheltered into permanent housing. housing did not return determine baseline data very low-income units. setting. to homelessness in 6 in 2025. months. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 32 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Strategic Investment (Lead Department/Agency) Investments will drive progress toward the goals noted for each Homekey+: Providing funding to build more permanent supportive homes faster for veterans and residents experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges. (HCD) Homekey Tribal Program: Provides Tribal Entities funding to develop multifamily rental housing developments, including rehabilitation of existing housing, new construction of apartments, townhomes, or single-family rental homes, including manufactured housing, or conversion of non-residential space to residential housing. (HCD) Encampment Resolution Funding Program (ERF): Grants for local jurisdictions to develop coordinated strategies to resolve encampments and transition people experiencing homelessness in encampments into safe and stable housing. (HCD) Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP): Providing grants for local jurisdictions to support regional coordination and local homelessness response to address challenges and increase permanent housing solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. (HCD) Tribal Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (Tribal HHAP): Grants for California Federally Recognized Tribes to support unique, culturally responsive interventions to prevent and address homelessness within their communities. (HCD) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 33 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Multifamily Finance Super Notice of Funding Availability (Super NOFA): Streamlines four of HCD’s rental housing programs to align eligibility criteria, scoring, and release of funds allowing for a coordinated single application and award process. (HCD) • Multifamily Housing Program (MHP): Provides low-interest, long-term deferred payment loans for new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of permanent and transitional rental housing for lower-income households. • Infill Infrastructure Grant (IIG): Promotes infill development by providing financing for infrastructure necessary for the development of affordable and mixed income housing. • Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention (VHHP): Provides long-term loans for the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable multifamily housing for veterans and their families. • Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant (FWHG): Provides funding for new construction, rehabilitation, and acquisition of owner- occupied and rental units for agricultural workers. HOME American Rescue Plan Act (HOME- ARP): Assists individuals or households at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, and other vulnerable populations, by providing housing, rental assistance, supportive services, and non- congregate shelter. (HCD) HOME-ARP Reentry Housing Pilot Project: Funding to develop units for re-entry populations and/or those exiting state and federal prisons and local jails. (HCD, CDCR) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 34 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME): Funding to create and retain affordable housing for lower-income renters, homebuyers, or homeowners by funding tenant assistance, or single- or multi- family acquisition and/or rehabilitation or new construction. (HCD) Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): Grants to address homelessness by providing funding for supportive services, emergency shelter/transitional housing, homelessness prevention assistance, and permanent housing. (HCD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): Funds community & economic development & disaster recovery to create suitable living environments by expanding economic opportunities & providing appropriate housing to low-income households. (HCD) Family Homelessness Challenge Grants: Grants for local jurisdictions to support the development and acceleration of innovative programs that expand promising practices and create solutions to address and end family homelessness. (HCD) Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Program: Funds to help young adults 18-24 years secure and maintain housing, with priority given to those formerly in the foster care or probation systems. (HCD) Housing for a Healthy California Program (HHC): Creates supportive housing for individuals who are recipients of or eligible for health care provided through the California Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal program. (HCD) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 35 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Prop 1’s Behavioral Health Housing interventions: Provides funding for housing interventions that may include rental subsidies, operating subsidies, shared housing, family housing, non-federal share for Medi-Cal transitional rent, project-based housing assistance, including master leasing, capital development projects, and others. (DHCS) Transitional Rent (pending federal approval): Provides 6 months of transitional rent for eligible members making critical life transitions from certain settings or meet high-risk population criteria. (DHCS) Cal AIM Enhanced Care Management (ECM) Services: Providing a whole-person, interdisciplinary approach to care management that comprehensively addresses the clinical and nonclinical needs of Medi-Cal Members with the most complex medical and social needs through systematic coordination of services and comprehensive care management that is community based, interdisciplinary, high touch and person centered. (DHCS) Cal AIM Community Supports: Providing housing- related services such as Housing Transition and Navigation Services, Housing Deposits, Housing Tenancy Sustaining Services, and other services (e.g., Recuperative Care, Short-Term Post- Hospitalization) services that address Medi-Cal managed care plan members’ social drivers of health and help them avoid higher, costlier levels of care. (DHCS) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 36 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH): Funding for operational and supportive services to expand bridge housing and support rental assistance housing navigation, outreach and engagement, and start-up infrastructure. (DHCS) Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA): Modernizes the Mental Health Services Act to address today's behavioral health system and needs, with reforms expanding services to include treatment for people with substance use disorders. Prioritizes care for individuals with the most serious mental illnesses, provides ongoing resources for housing interventions, and continues investments in prevention, early intervention, and innovative pilot programs. (DHCS) Community Care Expansion: Funds the expansion and preservation of licensed adult and senior care facilities, permanent supportive housing, recuperative care, and other housing options with supportive services for vulnerable older adults and adults with disabilities experiencing or at risk of homelessness including through a Tribal set aside. (CDSS) CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP): State-funded, locally-administered program in which counties provide flexible housing-related support, including housing navigation and rental assistance, to families experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness in the CalWORKs program. (CDSS) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 37 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA): Provides payments for families in the CalWORKs program for temporary shelter for up to 16 days, to secure or maintain housing, including a security deposit and last month’s rent, or up to two months of rent arrearages. (CDSS) Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP): State-funded, locally-administered program in which counties and Tribal grantees provide flexible housing-related supports, including housing navigation, rental assistance, and legal services, to individuals likely eligible for disability benefits who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, with a focus on chronic homelessness. (CDSS) Home Safe: State-funded, locally-administered program in which counties and Tribal grantees provide flexible housing-related supports, including housing navigation and rental assistance, to individuals in the Adult Protective Services (APS) intake process, or those who may be served through a Tribe, or Tribal entity or agency, and are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness for reasons of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation as determined by APS or Tribal agency. (CDSS) Bringing Families Home (BFH): State-funded, locally-administered program in which counties and Tribal grantees provide flexible housing-related supports, including housing navigation and rental assistance, to eligible families experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness who are in the child welfare system or who receive child welfare services in accordance with Tribal law or customs. (CDSS) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 38 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Guaranteed Income (GI) Pilot Program: Provides grants to eligible entities that provide a guaranteed income to participants, with funding prioritized for pilot programs that serve individuals who age out of extended foster care at or after 21 years of age, pregnant individuals, or older adults. GI participants must also be low-income residents of California. (CDSS) Transitional Housing Placement Program: Offers transitional housing placements to 18 - 21-year-old non-minor dependents in Extended Foster Care (THP-NMD) and young adults that exited the foster care system on or after age 18, currently between ages 21-25 for up to 36 cumulative months (THP- Plus). (CDSS) Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program: Project sponsors, who must have development financing from one of the state's housing agencies, apply for 20-year renewable project-based rental assistance funding to house Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities, ages 18-61, who have resided in a long-term health care facility and desire to return to community living, or are homeless, or are at risk of institutionalization or homelessness. (CalHFA) Low Income Housing Tax Credit Programs: Allocate federal and state tax credits to the developers of affordable rental housing for low- income Californians and corporations that provide equity to build the housing in return for the tax credits. (CTCAC) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 39 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Tax Credit and Bond Allocation Award Set-Asides: Ensure tax credit and bond allocation awards are provided to Tribal entities (via CTCAC tax credit set aside) and to BIPOC-led developers (via CDLAC bond allocation set aside for BIPOC projects.) (CTCAC, CDLAC) Domestic Violence Housing First (XD) Program: Provides victims/survivors of domestic violence with safe, permanent housing and ongoing, trauma- informed services tailored to address the individual needs of each victim/survivor that allows them to choose how to best rebuild their lives. (Cal OES) Domestic Violence Assistance (DV) Program: Provides local assistance for comprehensive support services to existing domestic violence providers throughout California, including emergency shelter to victims/survivors of domestic violence and their children. (Cal OES) Homeless Youth and Exploitation (HX) Program: Provides comprehensive services to help homeless youth exit street life, with a focus on providing specialized services for youth experiencing sexual exploitation. (Cal OES) Homeless Youth Emergency Services and Housing (YE) Program: Provides funding for food, shelter, counseling, and outreach services to locate homeless youth and link them with services, screen for basic health needs, and provide long-term stabilization planning with an emphasis on housing. (Cal OES) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 40 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Homeless Youth Emergency Services Pilot (HY): Provides funding to expand crisis intervention and stabilization services to homeless youth so the immediate crisis these youth face can be resolved, and they can focus on their futures. (Cal OES) Specialized Emergency Housing (KE) Program: Expands emergency shelter/emergency housing assistance and provide supportive services for victims/survivors of crime with specialized needs (e.g. elderly, youth, men, disabled, LGBTQIA+, non-English speaking, culturally or religiously marginalized, etc.) who cannot be served through a traditional shelter. (Cal OES) Transitional Housing (XH): Provides victims/ survivors of crime with transitional/short-term housing assistance and a range of supportive services, including follow-up services that move victims/survivors into permanent housing. (Cal OES) Human Trafficking Victim Assistance (HV): Helps human trafficking victims/survivors (sex trafficking and labor trafficking) recover from the trauma they experienced and assist them with reintegrating into society through comprehensive safety and supportive services using a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, victim/survivor-centered approach. (Cal OES) Native American Domestic Violence, and Sexual Assault (DS): Provides supportive services to Native American or Indigenous women and their children, who are victims/survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. (Cal OES) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 41 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Veterans Support to Self-Reliance Pilot: Provides a higher level of on-site supportive services for veterans aged 55+ with high-acuity and over who reside in permanent supportive housing (PSH) projects throughout California. (CalVet) Homeless and Housing Insecure Pilot Program: Provides colleges, in partnership with local housing service agencies, funding to provide housing navigation and placement services, academic support, and case management services to homeless students or those at risk of becoming homeless. (CCCCO) Rapid Rehousing & Housing Security Program: Provides rental assistance and services to students who are experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness. (CCCCO via CSU) Long Term Offender Reentry Recovery Program: Residential program that provides housing, meals, programming, supervision, and support services that focus on the needs of individuals that have served long sentences. (CDCR) Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP): Expands the number of community reentry programs, which connect participants transitioning from corrections settings to jobs and local resources within the community prior to release. (CDCR) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 42 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Helping Justice Involved Reenter Employment (HIRE): Integrates workforce and reentry services and to promote equity and create economic opportunity for formerly incarcerated and justice- involved individuals through partnerships with community-based organizations with demonstrated success in serving the reentry population. (CWDB) Breaking Barriers to Employment Initiative: Supplements existing workforce and education programs by providing services to ensure the success of individuals either preparing to enter or already enrolled in workforce and education programs. (CWDB) High Road Training Partnerships Resilient Workforce Fund Program: Funds training partnerships with high-road employers to directly increase the number of skilled workers from underserved populations in high-quality jobs in priority sectors. (CWDB) Prison to Employment (P2E) Initiative: Integrates workforce and reentry services in all of California’s labor regions and promotes equity and creates economic opportunity for formerly incarcerated and justice-involved individuals. (CWDB) DOR Transition and Diversion Grant Program: Provide institutional transition and diversion services for people with disabilities, including for youth, individuals experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, and for those displaced by disasters. (DOR) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 43 Plan Goals GOAL 1: GOAL 2: GOAL 3: GOAL 4: GOAL 5: Help more people Help more people Ensure people Prevent more Create more leave unsheltered move into housing do not become people from housing homelessness homeless again experiencing homelessness Community Based Restoration (CBR) Program: Expands the number of residential treatment options to support community placement for individuals who have been deemed Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) on felony charges. Provides interim housing or facility placement with wrap around treatment and supports for up to two years, including planning for long term housing and treatment needs post-CBR participation. (DSH) Conditional Release Program (CONREP): Implements additional residential treatment opportunities to support the safe transition of individuals from the state hospital to community treatment. (DSH) DSH Diversion Program: A collaboration between DSH and county governments to develop or expand diversion programs for individuals with serious mental illness who face felony charges and have been determined to be incompetent to stand trial, the program provides funding to counties to support community mental health treatment and other services for these individuals. (DSH) IST Solutions Infrastructure Program: Expands the availability of residential treatment and interim housing by up to 5,000 beds statewide to support ongoing sustainable diversion and community- based restoration programs for individuals with serious mental illness who have been found incompetent to stand trial. (DSH) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 44 Action Areas This Action Plan represents a commitment to action-oriented coordination across Council departments and agencies, as well as deeper collaboration with public and private partners in communities across the state. The following Action Areas and Objectives summarize the major types of work that Council departments and agencies will do to prevent and end homelessness, in addition to the administration of the strategic investments listed above. Each Action Area includes multiple Actions that Council departments and agencies have committed to in their adoption of this Plan. Cal ICH has the statutory obligation to implement much of the work listed in this Plan. Therefore, each Action Area includes the relevant code citation and description of the authority held by Cal ICH in statute. Some statutory authorities are referenced in more than one Action Area. Additionally, each Action Area has an associated equity framework that Council departments and agencies can use to address racial inequities in the design and implementation of their actions. 45 ACTION AREAS ACTION AREA 1 ACTION AREA 3 Increasing People’s Access to Engaging Partners & Communities Housing & Services Objective A Seeking and Following the Guidance of People Objective A Expanding Housing and Services through Policy with Lived Experience and Planning Initiatives Objective B Engaging and Partnering with Communities Objective B Removing Barriers and Facilitating People’s Disproportionately Impacted by Homelessness Access to Housing and Services Objective C Collaboratively Communicating and Planning Objective C Strengthening Local Systems for Connecting with Partners People to Housing & Services Opportunities ACTION AREA 4 ACTION AREA 2 Using Data Strategically Coordinating & Streamlining State Programs Objective A Expanding Integration of Data Across Programs and Systems Objective A Strengthening Partnerships and Coordination Objective B Measuring Impact and Outcomes of State Within and Across State Departments Strategies and Programs Objective B Aligning Health, Housing, and Homelessness Objective C Performing Analyses to Drive Future Resources and Strategies Decision-Making Objective C Aligning Policies and Guidance for Implementation of State Programs ACTION AREA 5 Advancing Best Practices & Quality Objective A Advancing Housing First and Other Best Practices within Program Implementation Objective B Effectively Reaching Historically Marginalized Communities Objective C Exploring New Models and Innovations CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 46 ACTION AREA 1 Increasing People’s Access to Housing & Services Actions in this Action Area focus on strategies for linking people to housing and/or services options, removing barriers, better aligning programs, and strengthening access to critical housing and services for people experiencing, exiting, or at-risk of homelessness. These actions drive progress toward the following Objectives: Objective A Objective C Expanding Housing and Strengthening Local Systems Services through Policy and for Connecting People Planning Initiatives to Housing & Services Opportunities Objective B Removing Barriers and Facilitating People’s Access to Housing and Services CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 47 Cal ICH Statutory Obligations Through implementing the Activities and pursuing the Objectives • Identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can in Action Area 1, Cal ICH will make progress on its statutory be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. obligations to: Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(2) • Implement Housing First by ensuring all state programs identified in statute incorporate Housing First Core Components. Welf & Inst. Code § 8255 - 8256 EQUITY Equity-Based Decision Making FRAMEWORK (Policy and Funding Interventions) FOR ACTION AREA 1 The Equity-Based Decision Making framework emphasizes • Maximizing Benefit and Minimizing Harm: Outline how the making decisions that actively address the disparities faced strategies will maximize benefit and minimize harm to those by historically marginalized communities and focuses on with lived experience and overrepresented communities removing systemic barriers and ensuring everyone has fair such as those identifying as Black or African American, access to opportunities and resources, leading to more just Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or and inclusive outcomes. Pacific Islander. In implementing Actions to increase access to housing and • Clarity and Accessibility: Outline how decision-making services, Council member departments and agencies are processes will be clear, transparent, and accessible. Identify committed to embracing policies and practices that are how assumptions, outcomes, and data will be shared with aligned with this framework, including: partners, particularly those with lived experience, and communities identifying as Black or African American, • Setting Racial Equity Goals: Describe strategies to explicitly Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or address racial inequities. Ask: What current inequities exist Pacific Islander. and what are your strategies to address them? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 48 EQUITY • Community Engagement: Detail how policy and funding • Implementation and Accountability: Outline how FRAMEWORK will ensure communities disproportionately impacted by accountability will be maintained. Ask: What mechanisms FOR ACTION homelessness are involved in decision-making. Ask: How will be in place to evaluate the success of the tool? How are AREA 1 will feedback loops be incorporated? How will you ensure we being accountable to communities identifying as Black that people with lived experience inform the process? or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander? • Data and Analysis: Explain how data will inform decision- making, with an emphasis on race and other marginalized • Communication: Identify how shifts in strategy, funding, identities. Ask: How will qualitative and quantitative data be and priorities will be communicated to partners, particularly used to ensure equity? those most impacted. Ask: Who are the key partners, and how will you ensure they remain informed? How will transparency be maintained? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 49 OBJECTIVE A ACTION Expanding Housing and Services through Policy AREA 1 and Planning Initiatives Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 1. Support the achievement of Statewide Housing Plan goals through HCD BCSH Goal 5: Create more housing the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, ensuring housing element compliance, and strengthen housing and homelessness accountability by providing technical assistance and, when necessary, enforcements through the Housing Accountability Unit. 2. Co-lead Transportation and Housing Coordination Workgroup, to BCSH with Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 2: Help pursue opportunities to create more affordable and transit-oriented CalSTA more people move into housing housing development. 3. Identify barriers to the production of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). BCSH HCD, CalHFA Goal 5: Create more housing Assess opportunities for local, state, and federal action to deliver opportunities to increase housing production, including ADUs. 4. Utilize listening sessions, feedback opportunities, and formal Tribal CDSS Goal 1: Help more people leave consultation processes, as appropriate, to ensure intentional, unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help structured engagement on guidelines for and implementation of CDSS more people move into housing; Goal 4: Housing and Homelessness programs for federally recognized Tribes, Prevent more people from experiencing Tribal organizations, consortia, and entities. Offer clear guidance on the homelessness Tribal waiver process to address regulatory or programmatic barriers specific to Tribal grantees, thereby enhancing program access and effectiveness. 5. Publicize the inventory and map of State-Owned Excess Sites. Provide HCD BCSH Goal 5: Create more housing technical assistance to developers and local government on utilizing public lands for affordable housing development. 6. Expand utilization of Mainstream vouchers to meet the needs of non- BCSH, CalHHS, HCD, DHCS, Goal 1: Help more people leave elderly Californians with disabilities who are experiencing or at risk of Cal ICH DOR, CDSS unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help homelessness. more people move into housing; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 50 ACTION AREA 1 OBJECTIVE A Expanding Housing and Services through Policy and Planning Initiatives Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 7. Identify opportunities for expanding housing support for students who CCCCO with CSU Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave transfer between community colleges and other institutions of higher and UC unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help education. more people move into housing 8. Prioritize increased access to rental assistance resources within State’s BCSH CalHFA, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 2: Help federal advocacy. CDSS more people move into housing 9. Deploy Encampment Coordinators throughout each of Caltrans’s 12 Caltrans Goal 1: Help more people leave district jurisdictions to help coordinate community partnerships and unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help strengthen responses for people experiencing homelessness on the more people move into housing; Goal 4: state right of way. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 10. Provide institutional transition and diversion services for people with DOR Goal 4: Prevent more people from disabilities including youth, individuals who are homeless or at-risk of experiencing homelessness homelessness, and those displaced by disasters. Partner with State Independent Living Council. 11. Continue the implementation of the National Mortgage Settlement CalHFA Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience Counseling Program as a prevention strategy to help keep people in homelessness again their homes and provide greater opportunity for people to stay housed and explore other service options as the opportunity arises. 12. Implement the Veterans Home master plans to continue providing care CalVet Goal 1: Help more people leave and services at eight state facilities across California. unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 13. Develop implementation plan to provide six months of transitional rent DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave to eligible members making critical life transitions or meeting high-risk unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help population criteria. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 51 OBJECTIVE B ACTION Removing Barriers and Facilitating People’s AREA 1 Access to Housing and Services Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 14. Strengthen the alignment of the State’s health care and housing BCSH, CalHHS Will impact all plan goals responses to better serve people with complex care needs. 15. Support older adults transitioning to community living from DSH, CDCR CDSS, DHCS Goal 2: Help more people move into incarceration or other secured settings, leveraging opportunities housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people through CalAIM Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, from experiencing homelessness; Goal and other state programs. 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 16. Expand the Justice Involved Veteran Program by partnering with CalVet Goal 2: Help more people move into Federal entities to ensure Veterans released from the federal prison housing system are connected to CalVet and their community-based system of care. 17. Explore opportunities created through CalAIM to increase continuity DSH DHCS Goal 4: Prevent more people from of care and access to community behavioral health resources after experiencing homelessness treatment in the Department of State Hospitals. 18. Establish referral processes to connect unsheltered supervised CDCR DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave persons enrolled in Medi-Cal to housing services offered through unsheltered homelessness; Goal 4: CalAIM (e.g., Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports). Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 19. Implement CalAIM to provide medically necessary recuperative care DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave and/or short-term post-hospitalization placements for unhoused unsheltered homelessness; Goal 4: people who are exiting acute inpatient facilities and/or were recently Prevent more people from experiencing hospitalized. homelessness 20. Analyze opportunities for Proposition 1 and behavioral health CDA Goal 4: Prevent more people from modernization to be leveraged statewide and locally to improve access experiencing homelessness for older adults with behavioral health and housing needs. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 52 ACTION AREA 1 OBJECTIVE B Removing Barriers and Facilitating People’s Access to Housing and Services Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 21. Examine and modify CTCAC regulations to ensure funding incentives CTCAC Cal ICH, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing are appropriately designed for people experiencing homelessness. CalHFA 22. Strengthen connections to shelter, housing, and safety net programs CalHHS BCSH, Cal ICH, Goal 1: Help more people leave for immigrants, including newcomer populations, through increased CDSS, HCD, unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help coordination of immigrant integration efforts. Include opportunities to DHCS more people move into housing; Goal 4: expand services tailored to the needs of immigrants (e.g. legal services) Prevent more people from experiencing and ensuring equitable access to services and resources. homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 23. Provide emergency housing assistance to CSU students who are CCCCO via CSU Goal 1: Help more people leave experiencing temporary housing insecurity or homelessness. unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 24. Facilitate connections across Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), CoCs, CDA Goal 1: Help more people leave county staff, and Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans to align services for unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help older adults who are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 25. Educate housing agencies on the specific barriers to housing faced by CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 4: Prevent more people from families with children and unaccompanied homeless youth who are HCD experiencing homelessness identified through the education system. 26. Streamline support and warm handoffs between high school liaisons, CDE CCCCO Goal 4: Prevent more people from youth, and their families for transition to higher education. experiencing homelessness 27. Work with Caltrans for targeted hires in High Road Construction CWDB Caltrans Goal 4: Prevent more people from Careers and their projects via a Project Labor Agreement and/or experiencing homelessness Community Work Agreements and prioritize reentry and homeless populations. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 53 ACTION AREA 1 OBJECTIVE B Removing Barriers and Facilitating People’s Access to Housing and Services Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 28. Explore options for funding LWDBs to enroll people staying in shelters, CWDB Goal 1: Help more people leave or accessing other homelessness services, into job training and unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help education. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 29. Structure programs to focus on integrating employment support across DOR Goal 2: Help more people move into the spectrum of housing interventions. housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 30. Pilot efforts to improve continuum of services for youth with disabilities DOR CalHHS Goal 4: Prevent more people from to decrease justice involvement and to transition to independent living, experiencing homelessness education, and employment. Integrate innovative approaches across service delivery systems and initiatives. 31. Address housing needs of older adults and people with disabilities CDA, DOR, Goal 1: Help more people leave by streamlining access to information by advancing a No Wrong Door CDSS, DHCS unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help system approach, in support of Californians remaining in their own more people move into housing; Goal 4: homes and communities. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 32. Improve access and connections to wrap-around services, including CDCR DHCS, DOR, Cal Goal 1: Help more people leave housing, for Returning Home Well participants transitioning from ICH unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help corrections who have higher needs for services. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 33. Implement and monitor Basic Needs Centers and expand programming CCCCO Goal 2: Help more people move into targeting students involved with the justice and/or foster care systems. housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 34. Continue expanding the statewide CalFresh Restaurant Meals CDSS Goal 4: Prevent more people from Program to increase access to food for CalFresh Program participants experiencing homelessness experiencing homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 54 OBJECTIVE C ACTION Strengthening Local Systems for Connecting AREA 1 People to Housing & Services Opportunities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 35. Support Proposition 1 and Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) CalHHS, BCSH, HCD, DHCS, Will impact all plan goals implementation by collaborating across state departments and CalVet CDPH agencies, providing coordinated guidance, engaging partners, monitoring implementation and outcomes, and supporting coordination of health, behavioral health, and housing resources at the local level. 36. Align CTCAC-funded projects with local homelessness response CTCAC Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into system referral processes in order to support tenants. Educate housing housing developers and operators regarding Coordinated Entry, Continuums of Care, Housing First, property management practices in PSH, and connections to services partnerships. 37. Connect CoCs across California with DOR employment services, as well DOR Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into as disability and aging network partners, to improve coordination of housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people services for individuals with disabilities who experience homelessness. from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 38. Strengthen connections and referral pathways with CoCs to improve CDCR Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into access to housing and services resources for people exiting from housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people prison. from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 39. Provide technical assistance to support connections between non- CDSS HCD Goal 1: Help more people leave minor dependents, former foster youth, and county and community unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help agencies to assist eligible youth and young adults experiencing more people move into housing; Goal 4: homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness to access Prevent more people from experiencing housing programs and Independent Living Programs which may lead to homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do them obtaining permanent housing. not experience homelessness again CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 55 ACTION AREA 1 OBJECTIVE C Strengthening Local Systems for Connecting People to Housing & Services Opportunities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 40. Provide training to state housing and homelessness partners CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 1: Help more people leave on the eligibility, rights, and educational protections under the Cal OES, CDSS, unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help McKinney-Vento Act. Promote coordination and collaboration CCCCO, CDPH more people move into housing; Goal 4: through the California Homeless Education Technical Assistance Prevent more people from experiencing Centers implementing the McKinney-Vento Act to ensure services, homelessness coordination, and accountability at the local level for all Californians. 41. Continue advancing Legal Service Program through the Area Agencies CDA Goal 4: Prevent more people from on Aging, providing services that include support for elder justice, experiencing homelessness; Goal fraud prevention, rental disputes, and others. 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 42. Promote programs and funding for CCCs, UCs and CSUs—including CCCCO with CSU Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave the rapid rehousing funding and emergency housing assistance and UC unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help funding—in order to leverage these programs across the institutions more people move into housing; Goal 4: responsible for the health, safety, well-being, and academic success of Prevent more people from experiencing enrolled students. homelessness CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 56 ACTION AREA 2 Coordinating & Streamlining State Programs Actions in this Action Area focus on better aligning state programs, definitions, reporting requirements, outcome expectations, guidance, technical assistance, and other processes. These actions drive progress toward the following Objectives: Objective A Objective C Strengthening Partnerships Aligning Policies and Guidance and Coordination Within and for Implementation of State Across State Departments Programs Objective B Aligning Health, Housing, and Homelessness Resources and Strategies CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 57 ACTION Cal ICH Statutory Obligations AREA 2 Through implementing the Activities and pursuing the Objectives • To make policy and procedural recommendations to in Action Area 2, Cal ICH will make progress on its statutory legislators and other governmental entities. Welf & Inst. Code obligations to: § 8257 (b)(6) • To create partnerships among state agencies and • To identify and seek funding opportunities for state entities departments, local government agencies, participants that have programs to end homelessness, including, but not in the United States Department of Housing and Urban limited to, federal and philanthropic funding opportunities, Development’s Continuum of Care Program, federal agencies, and to facilitate and coordinate those state entities’ efforts to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, obtain that funding. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(7) nonprofit entities working to end homelessness, homeless • To broker agreements between state agencies and services providers, and the private sector, for the purpose of departments and between state agencies and departments arriving at specific strategies to end homelessness. Welf & and local jurisdictions to align and coordinate resources, Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(3) reduce administrative burdens of accessing existing • To promote systems integration to increase efficiency and resources, and foster common applications for services, effectiveness while focusing on designing systems to address operating, and capital funding. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 the needs of people experiencing homelessness, including (b)(8) unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age. Welf & Inst. • To serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy Code § 8257 (b)(4) development resource on ending homelessness in California. • To coordinate existing funding and applications for Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(9) competitive funding. Any action taken pursuant to this • To ensure accountability and results in meeting the strategies paragraph shall not restructure or change any existing and goals of the council. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(11) allocations or allocation formulas. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(5) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 58 EQUITY Collective Impact 3.0 for Racial Equity & Social FRAMEWORK Justice (Systems Alignment) FOR ACTION AREA 2 The Collective Impact Model framework recognizes the • Shifting Power within Decision-Making: Ensure complex nature of social issues and creates a structured marginalized communities have a voice in decision-making. form of collaboration in which a network of key partners Ask: What mechanisms are in place to ensure marginalized works to advance learning, aligning, and integrating actions communities have a meaningful voice in decision-making? to create system-level change and impact. It involves How can we assess and adjust the power dynamics within identifying a common agenda, creating shared measurements, our decision-making to center equity more effectively? mutually reinforcing activities, and engaging in continuous • Listening to and Acting with the Community: Engage with communication. Collective Impact 3.0 is an updated approach those most affected by inequities, in particular those with to tackling complex social issues by integrating a racial equity lived experience, and communities identifying as Black and social justice lens that includes community members or African American, Native American or Indigenous, and most impacted as essential partners central to co-designing Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Ask: How can we solutions. ensure community members most affected by inequities are In implementing Actions to coordinate and streamline state actively involved in shaping our strategies? What processes programs, Council member departments and agencies are do we have in place to continually gather and act on committed to embracing policies and practices that are feedback from marginalized communities? aligned with this framework, including: • Building Equity Leadership and Accountability: Develop • Grounding the Work in Data and Context: Use diverse leadership that includes those with lived experience, disaggregated data to address disparities. Ask: How are we and communities identifying as Black or African American, ensuring that disaggregated data is consistently collected Native American or Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or and analyzed to inform decisions? What strategies can we Pacific Islander, and hold collaborators accountable to use to identify and address disparities in our community equity goals. Ask: How are we building diverse leadership through the data we gather? within our collaborative, and what support do they need to succeed? What accountability measures can we implement • Focusing on Systems Change: Focus structural, relational, to ensure that our equity goals are met and adapted and transformative changes to achieve equity. Ask: What over time? specific policies or structures need to shift to achieve more equitable outcomes? How can we align our collective work to address both short-term needs and long-term systemic changes? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 59 OBJECTIVE A ACTION Strengthening Partnerships and Coordination AREA 2 Within and Across State Departments Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 1. Continue implementation of CalAIM Providing Access and Transforming DHCS Goal 4: Prevent more people from Health Initiatives to support statewide implementation of Enhanced experiencing homelessness Care Management and Community Supports. Implementation includes regional collaborative planning and implementation, direct funding to local entities to support delivery of services, virtual “marketplace” that offers technical support, and funding services to transition from Whole Person Care to managed care coverage under CalAIM. 2. Facilitate CARE Act working group to support implementation efforts CalHHS BCSH, DHCS Goal 3: Help More People Leave to deliver mental health and substance use disorder services to the Unsheltered; Homelessness; Goal 2: Help most severely impaired Californians, including people experiencing more people move into housing; Goal 4: homelessness. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 3. Strengthen internal coordination across teams to increase housing and CDPH Will impact all plan goals homelessness resources provided to California’s Tribal Communities. 4. Convene the Priority Populations Task Force as a response to natural Cal OES CalHHS, BCSH, Goal 4: Prevent more people from and man-made disasters, to coordinate state resources, identify CDPH, CDSS, experiencing homelessness and address unmet needs, and ensure comprehensive operational DHCS, Caltrans, preparedness and response to those at greatest risk, including people Cal ICH, and who are unhoused. others based on emergency 5. Partner with FEMA Region IX in all facets of emergency management Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from (planning, response, recovery, and mitigation). Coordinate with FEMA experiencing homelessness Liaison in the State Operations Center during disasters or emergencies and, during federally declared disasters, work with FEMA to facilitate federal response and recovery services. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 60 ACTION AREA 2 OBJECTIVE A Strengthening Partnerships and Coordination Within and Across State Departments Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 6. Strengthen state-level communication and coordination between CDE’s CDE CCCCO, CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from Homeless Education Program and Higher Education liaisons. Share experiencing homelessness technical assistance and training opportunities to ensure continuity of services for all eligible students experiencing homelessness, with a focus on unaccompanied youth and young parenting students. 7. Increase coordination across State programs and with County Welfare CDE CDSS, CDPH Goal 1: Help more people leave programs to ensure students are receiving the appropriate level of care unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help and connections to resources from cradle to career. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 8. Strengthen mutual understanding between CDE and Higher Education CDE Cal ICH, CCCCO Goal 4: Prevent more people from local/regional partners. Focus on duties of the Local Liaison in experiencing homelessness McKinney Vento Act and in California Education Code as well as role of community college Basic Needs Centers and other services. 9. Provide training to state housing and homelessness partners on the CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 1: Help more people leave eligibility, rights, and educational protections under McKinney-Vento Cal OES, CDSS, unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Act. Promote coordination and collaboration through the California CCCCO, CDPH more people move into housing; Goal 4: Homeless Education Technical Assistance Centers implementing Prevent more people from experiencing the McKinney-Vento Act to ensure services, coordination, and homelessness accountability at the local level for all Californians. 10. Promote programs and funding available to CCCs, UCs and CSUs, CCCCO Goal 1: Help more people leave including rapid rehousing and emergency housing assistance funding. unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Successfully leverage these programs across institutions responsible more people move into housing for the health, safety, well-being, and academic success of enrolled students. 11. Strengthen internal coordination with the Center for Family Health and CDPH Will impact all plan goals other teams to prevent homelessness among families and youth. 12. Create partnerships with Local Workforce Development Areas and Jobs CWDB CalVet Goal 4: Prevent more people from First Regions to provide employment and career training opportunities experiencing homelessness for Veterans. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 61 ACTION AREA 2 OBJECTIVE A Strengthening Partnerships and Coordination Within and Across State Departments Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 13. Develop and strengthen collaboration with state agencies and external DOR Goal 4: Prevent more people from businesses around their hiring, retention, and advancement of experiencing homelessness employment of people with disabilities with lived experience, including youth. 14. Develop policies, procedures, and recommendations on how to Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals effectively coordinate the work to prevent and end homelessness in departments and California through the convening of quarterly Council and Advisory agencies Committee meetings. 15. Regularly collaborate with state partners to provide resources and Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals guidance on their work to prevent and end homelessness. Develop Understanding of the barriers state partners face in implementing homelessness programs effectively and elevate to the Council. 16. Strengthen collaborative efforts across state entities to prevent DSH CDCR via Goal 1: Help more people leave experiences of homelessness among people on parole supervision Board of Parole unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help exiting Department of State Hospitals settings. Hearings more people move into housing 17. Strengthen coordination across systems for people with disabilities DOR, CDCR CalHHS, DHCS, Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience who are institutionalized or are transitioning out of corrections settings. CDSS, DDS, Cal homelessness again Ensure that services supporting reentry into the community include a ICH focus on employment and independent living. 18. Create partnerships with State agencies to support “pre-entry” for CWDB CDCR Goal 4: Prevent more people from justice-involved people to access employment and/or job training to experiencing homelessness find housing and mitigate a return to experiencing homelessness and recidivism. 19. Implement an advocacy plan for the Joint State Legislative Resolution CalHFA, CTCAC Goal 5: Create more housing of the federal Affordable Housing Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2023. Highlight the impact of federal housing programs and urge Congress to lower the 50% test to 25%. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 62 OBJECTIVE B ACTION Aligning Health, Housing, and Homelessness AREA 2 Resources and Strategies Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 20. Continue to collaborate with participating state and local partners to CalHHS, BCSH DHCS, HCD, Will impact all plan goals support CalAIM implementation to strengthen the connection between DOR, CDA, housing, health, and human services, while leveraging other federal, CDSS, Cal ICH state, and local resources. 21. Better align State-funded housing projects with local Homelessness BCSH, CalHHS HCD, DHCS, Goal 2: Help more people move into Response Systems and their referral processes to improve access for CDSS housing people exiting homelessness. 22. Better align policies, practices, and funding across State housing BCSH CalHFA, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing agencies and programs, while retaining significant focus on extremely CTCAC and low-income households and housing for people exiting and at risk of CDLAC homelessness. 23. Create public-facing Technical Assistance documents that provide BCHS, CalHHS DHCS, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 1: guidance to help navigate housing and health connections, including CalVet Help more people leave unsheltered Behavioral Health Services Act resources. homelessness; Goal 2: Help more people move into housing 24. Embed DOR employment services into housing programs to stabilize DOR Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave people experiencing homelessness through secure employment and unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help increased incomes. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 25. Embed Independent Living Centers, Traumatic Brain Injury, Older DOR Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave Individuals Who Are Blind, and Assistive Technology programs and unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help services into housing programs. Assist people who are unhoused with more people move into housing; Goal 4: securing supports and increasing independent living skills as they Prevent more people from experiencing transition to permanent housing. homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 63 OBJECTIVE C ACTION Aligning Policies and Guidance for AREA 2 Implementation of State Programs Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 26. Align state funding and program elements such as definitions, Cal ICH via All Council Will impact all plan goals timelines, and reporting requirements, across departments and State Funding departments and agencies in order to reduce administrative burden on applicants. and Programs agencies Working Group 27. Assess and monitor compliance with California Housing First statute for Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals state-funded programs among Council departments and agencies. departments and agencies 28. Maintain the Statewide Housing and Homelessness Calendar to Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals serve as a resource for system partners to stay up to date with state departments and department hosted webinars and meetings, technical assistance agencies offerings, and trainings to increase coordination and information sharing of the state's activities. 29. Develop and maintain a strategic funding guide and calendar of new Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals or existing funding opportunities from departments and agencies departments and administering state homelessness programs, in compliance with agencies AB 799 (L. Rivas, Chapter 263, Statutes of 2024), to ensure eligible applicants are informed of available funding opportunities. 30. Convene a working group, in alignment with AB 519 (Schiavo, chapter CTCAC, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 2: Help 742, statutes of 2023), to develop and report policy recommendations CalHFA more people move into housing to implement a single consolidated application and coordinated review process for affordable housing resources. 31. Implement Memorandum of Understanding, in compliance with CalHFA, CTCAC, Goal 5: Create more housing AB 2006 (Berman, chapter 646, statutes of 2022), to facilitate the HCD collaborative coordination and development of processes to streamline compliance monitoring for housing developments where two or more agencies are involved. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 64 ACTION AREA 2 OBJECTIVE C Aligning Policies and Guidance for Implementation of State Programs Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 32. Coordinate across departments and agencies to identify useful CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Will impact all plan goals education data about children, youth, and their families experiencing HCD, Cal OES homelessness (i.e. graduation rates, career technical education pathways, graduation exemption regulations, etc.). Identify ways to utilize this information within homelessness services, such as defining “at risk” or placement within a vulnerability index. 33. Communicate and disseminate guidance to county offices of CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 4: Prevent more people from education, LEAs, and partnering agencies to strengthen support for HCD experiencing homelessness students experiencing homelessness from local housing partners. 34. Raise awareness among AAA and Aging & Disability Resource CDA Goal 2: Help more people move into Connection partners of resources and supports available to older housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people adults at-risk of or currently experiencing homelessness, including from experiencing homelessness; Goal strategies for outreach, identification, and service connection. 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 35. Develop collaborative workforce guidance, best practices, and CWDB DOR Goal 4: Prevent more people from potential training provider lists with DOR in support of people with experiencing homelessness disabilities. 36. Connect housing services staff with free overdose reversal training CDPH Cal ICH Goal 4: Prevent more people from and supplies, information to share with residents on where to access experiencing homelessness safer drug use supplies, and, for those who wish to reduce or stop their substance use, referrals to a variety of treatment options statewide, including Contingency Management and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder. 37. Develop resources with Council member departments and agencies to Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals help foster partnerships and support coordination across systems of departments and care at the local level. agencies CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 65 ACTION AREA 3 Engaging Partners & Communities Actions in this Action Area focus on actively engaging with local communities, Tribal partners, people with lived experiences of homelessness, housing and service provider organizations, and other partners, to seek feedback and guidance. These actions drive progress toward the following Objectives: Objective A Objective C Seeking and Following the Collaboratively Communicating Guidance of People with Lived and Planning with Partners Experience Objective B Engaging and Partnering with Communities Disproportionately Impacted by Homelessness CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 66 Cal ICH Statutory Obligations Through implementing the Activities and pursuing the Objectives • To increase system integration and coordinating efforts to in Action Area 3, Cal ICH will make progress on its statutory prevent homelessness among youth who are currently or obligations to: formerly involved in the child welfare system or the juvenile justice system. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(16) • To serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy development resource on ending homelessness in California. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(9) EQUITY Equity-Centered Community Design FRAMEWORK (Partner Engagement) FOR ACTION AREA 3 The Equity-Centered Community Design framework prioritizes • Addressing Root Causes of Inequity: Focus on systemic the voices and experiences of marginalized communities in barriers rather than surface-level issues. Ask: What the partner engagement process. It ensures that those who systemic barriers are we targeting, and how are we are most impacted by decisions are leading and shaping the addressing the underlying causes of those issues? How do solutions, with a focus on dismantling systemic inequities. This we ensure our solutions challenge long-standing inequities approach fosters more inclusive, sustainable outcomes by rather than just treating symptoms? addressing root causes rather than just symptoms. • Acknowledging Power Dynamics: Actively recognize and In implementing Actions to engage partners and communities, shift power imbalances within design processes of partner Council member departments and agencies are committed and community engagement. Ask: What power dynamics to embracing policies and practices that are aligned with this exist in our team or process, and how are we actively framework, including: shifting them to center marginalized voices? How are we redistributing decision-making authority to those impacted • Designing With, Not For: Prioritize co-design with by the issues? marginalized communities, ensuring their lived experiences drive solutions. Ask: How are we ensuring that community members most impacted by inequity are designing solutions alongside us? What structures are in place to make sure their input directly influences decision-making? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 67 EQUITY • Iterative learning: Continuously learn and adapt designs • Radical inclusion: Ensure marginalized voices are central FRAMEWORK based on feedback from impacted communities. Ask: How to the process and outcomes. Ask: How are we ensuring FOR ACTION can we establish feedback loops with the community to that the most marginalized voices are being heard and AREA 3 continuously improve our approach? What mechanisms do valued throughout our partner and community engagement we have for adapting designs based on real-time input from process? What specific steps are we taking to remove affected populations? barriers to participation for historically excluded groups? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 68 OBJECTIVE A ACTION Seeking and Following the Guidance of People AREA 3 with Lived Experience Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 1. Facilitate the Cal ICH Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) to Cal ICH All Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals inform decisions of the Council and provide guidance to its member Member departments and agencies. Departments 2. Include individuals with lived experience in the implementation of the DHCS Goal 4: Prevent more people from Behavioral Health Transformation (Proposition 1) via the Behavioral experiencing homelessness Health Transformation Implementation Workgroup, the Medi-Cal Advisory Committee, and other BHT partner opportunities. 3. Document recommendations of the Disability and Aging Community CDA, DOR Will impact all plan goals Living Advisory Committee and elevate relevant recommendations for the next iteration of the Master Plan on Aging. 4. Facilitate linkages and technical assistance across AAAs, CoCs, CDA Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave Community Based Organizations, County and City staff, and Medi-Cal unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Managed Care Plans to align services for older adults who are at-risk of more people move into housing; Goal 4: or currently experiencing homelessness. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 5. Promote meaningful engagement of community college students within CCCCO Will impact all plan goals supports focused on preventing and ending their homelessness. 6. Incorporate people with lived experiences of homelessness in decision CDPH Will impact all plan goals making on policies and issues related to homelessness, housing, COVID-19, and health, including through facilitation of a CDPH Lived Experience Advisory Board. 7. Ensure student voices are present within working groups and other CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Will impact all plan goals bodies in order to provide recommendations and perspectives on how HCD to prevent and end homelessness for children, youth, unaccompanied youth, and their families. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 69 Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 8. Continue initiatives that include the perspectives of persons with lived DHCS Goal 4: Prevent more people from experience in DHCS programs. experiencing homelessness 9. Provide adequate payment to individuals with lived experience when BCSH, CalHHS All Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals seeking their expertise and prevent any financial hardship that may Member result from changes in state-administered benefits. Departments OBJECTIVE B ACTION Engaging and Partnering with Communities AREA 3 Disproportionately Impacted by Homelessness Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 10. Develop a Tribal advisory group with expertise on the needs of Tribal Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals communities to create recommendations for addressing their specific needs in preventing and ending homelessness. 11. Provide pre-application and other technical assistance and training Cal ICH, HCD, Will impact all plan goals opportunities, participate in listening or feedback sessions, and CDSS adapt program guidelines and guidance, to enhance access to State homelessness and housing programs and resources, and other support services, for federally recognized Tribes, Tribal organizations, Tribal consortium, and Tribal entities in California. 12. Engage with Tribal entities and new developers to ensure success of CTCAC Goal 5: Create more housing existing set asides, address community needs, and increase utilization. 13. Conduct Tribal consultations and roundtable discussions to identify CalHFA BCSH, HCD, Goal 2: Help more people move into opportunities to improve Tribal communities’ access to programs. CTCAC housing 14. Expand culturally competent outreach to ensure access to State- CalHFA BCSH, HCD, Goal 2: Help more people move into funded housing programs across racial, ethnic, gender, geographic, CTCAC housing and affordability demographics, including with Tribal communities. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 70 Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 15. Complete implementation of the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing DHCS Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 1: Program, which includes a People with Lived Experience panel that Help more people leave unsheltered provides feedback and guidance as well as support to Tribal partners in homelessness; Goal 4: Prevent more their development of housing and related supports. people from experiencing homelessness 16. Continued implementation of PATH Collaborative Planning and DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave Implementation initiative, which includes county and regional unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help collaboratives of managed care plans, providers, CBOs, county more people move into housing; Goal 4: agencies, hospitals, Tribal partners, and other stakeholders to Prevent more people from experiencing address Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do implementation issues and promote ongoing readiness. not experience homelessness again 17. Identify appropriate Tribal partners in each Caltrans District who can Caltrans Goal 4: Prevent more people from provide support to local services providers who meet unsheltered experiencing homelessness members of Tribal communities. 18. Develop new relationships and partnerships with Tribal Nations to begin CWDB Goal 2: Help more people move into development of workforce training programs. housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again OBJECTIVE C ACTION Collaboratively Communicating and AREA 3 Planning with Partners Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 19. Communicate Cal AIM opportunities to broader audiences and range of DHCS CalHHS, BCSH, Goal 1: Help more people leave stakeholders, aiming to fulfill the vision for Cal AIM to become a critical Cal ICH unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help solution to homelessness. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 71 ACTION AREA 3 OBJECTIVE C Collaboratively Communicating and Planning with Partners Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 20. Implement quality assurance strategies, including strengthening Caltrans Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave regular training, to implement Caltrans’s Encampment Coordinators unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Reference Guide and Maintenance Policy Directive 1001R. Strengthen more people move into housing; Goal 4: partnerships to respond to risks and needs of people in encampments Prevent more people from experiencing on Caltrans-controlled property. homelessness 21. Work with partners to use available Caltrans property for temporary Caltrans Cal ICH, HCD, Goal 1: Help more people leave emergency shelter. BCSH unsheltered homelessness 22. Strengthen efforts to provide advance notification to local housing Caltrans Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave service partners regarding encampment removal activities to unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help coordinate outreach and additional services. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 23. Work with local partners to understand barriers to effective Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals implementation of Housing First practices. Create guidance for state departments and policymakers and provide best practices to help overcome those agencies barriers. 24. Engage Emergency Operations Centers, local communities, and Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from Tribal partners to include their unhoused populations into emergency experiencing homelessness operations plans. 25. Coordinate the Strategies, Tools, and Emergency Preparedness Cal ICH CDSS, CDE, Will impact all plan goals for Unsheltered Populations group in coordination with the Priority CDA, Caltrans, Populations Task Force to ensure inclusion of people experiencing HCD, Cal OES, homelessness in disaster response efforts. Support local jurisdictions CDPH in planning for future emergencies affecting people experiencing homelessness by developing a toolkit for leaders on the best practices and resources available for serving this population. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 72 ACTION AREA 3 OBJECTIVE C Collaboratively Communicating and Planning with Partners Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 26. Coordinate with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs CalVet Goal 1: Help more people leave to connect Veterans to benefits and implement VA homeless programs. unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help more people move into housing: Help More People Move into permanent Housing from interim housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 27. Connect local, state, and federal initiatives regarding Veterans CalVet Goal 1: Help more people leave experiencing homelessness at events intended to coordinate resources unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help for Veterans experiencing homelessness, such as Stand Downs. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 28. Implement strategies for local systems to streamline family services CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 2: Help more people move into between COEs, LEAs, Charter Schools, and CoCs to ensure equitable HCD, CDSS housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people access to housing options. from experiencing homelessness 29. Optimize discharge planning in partnership with counties to allow DSH Cal ICH Goal 4: Prevent more people from for continuity of treatment when individuals are released from jail or experiencing homelessness referred to a Community, Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Program. 30. Coordinate service delivery by identifying best practices, training CWDB DOR, Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave opportunities, and peer-to-peer connections between the Local unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Workforce Development Boards more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 31. Support coordination between Local Health Jurisdictions and CDPH Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals Continuums of Care and with State-funded homelessness programs. Implement opportunities to include Local Health Jurisdictions as eligible applicants within state funding programs. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 73 ACTION AREA 3 OBJECTIVE C Collaboratively Communicating and Planning with Partners Action Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 32. Facilitate knowledge sharing between Continuums of Care and present Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals best practices for HMIS data management and collection through HDIS Connect sessions. 33. Facilitate opportunities for collaboration across local jurisdictions, Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals Continuums of Care, and Tribal partners to expand knowledge of departments and current initiatives and share successful strategies to improve statewide agencies outcomes. 34. Support engagement and coordination with local systems of care for CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Will impact all plan goals resource and funding connections. Strengthen local implementation HCD of Coordinated Entry by working with state departments and agencies to include local educational agencies for eligibility in state-funded homelessness and housing programs. Ensure compliance with federal law allowing for McKinney-Vento eligibility for these services. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 74 ACTION AREA 4 Using Data Strategically Actions in this Action Area focus on expanding and refining data analysis and data-sharing efforts at the state and local levels to deepen the state’s understanding of homelessness in California and strengthen the implementation of State and local programs. These actions drive progress toward the following Objectives: Objective A Objective C Expanding Integration of Data Performing Analyses to Drive Across Programs and Systems Future Decision-Making Objective B Measuring Impact and Outcomes of State Strategies and Programs CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 75 ACTION Cal ICH Statutory Obligations AREA 4 Through implementing the Activities and pursuing the Objectives that are operating in California shall provide collected data in Action Area 4, Cal ICH will make progress on its statutory elements, including, but not limited to, health information, in obligations to: a manner consistent with federal law, to the Homeless Data Integration System. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(13) • Implement Housing First by ensuring all state programs identified in statute incorporate Housing First Core • To set goals to prevent and end homelessness among Components. Welf & Inst. Code § 8255 - 8256 California’s youth. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(14) • Identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can • To improve the safety, health, and welfare of young people be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. experiencing homelessness in the state. Welf & Inst. Code § Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(2) 8257 (b)(15) • To report to the Governor, federal Cabinet members, and • To lead efforts to coordinate a spectrum of funding, policy, the Legislature on homelessness and work to reduce and practice efforts related to young people experiencing homelessness. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(10) homelessness. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(17) • To ensure accountability and results in meeting the strategies • To collect, compile, and make available to the public and goals of the council. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(11) financial data provided to the council from all state-funded homelessness programs. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(19) • To identify and implement strategies to fight homelessness in small communities and rural areas. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(12) • To create a statewide data system or warehouse, which shall be known as the Homeless Data Integration System, that collects local data through Homeless Management Information Systems, with the ultimate goal of matching data on homelessness to programs impacting homeless recipients of state programs. Upon creation of the Homeless Data Integration System, all continuums of care, as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 76 EQUITY Targeted Universalism FRAMEWORK (Programmatic Interventions) FOR ACTION AREA 4 The Targeted Universalism framework sets universal goals for • Developing Targeted Strategies: Create solutions tailored to everyone while recognizing that different groups may need address the specific challenges of each group while working unique strategies to achieve those goals. It acknowledges that toward the universal goal. Ask: What tailored strategies are people start from different places due to systemic inequities we developing to meet the needs of specific groups who and focuses on tailored solutions to ensure that everyone, face unique barriers? How do we ensure these strategies including marginalized communities, can reach the same are informed by the lived experiences of the affected positive outcomes. communities? In implementing actions to use data strategically, Council • Aligning with Broader Goals: Ensure that targeted member departments and agencies are committed to interventions support the overall objective of equity for all. embracing policies and practices aligned with this framework, Ask: How do we ensure that the targeted strategies we are including: implementing align with and contribute to our universal goal? How do we measure progress in both achieving the • Setting a Universal Goal: Establish a goal that benefits universal goal and addressing group-specific needs? everyone, focusing on shared outcomes for all communities. Ask: What is the broad, universal outcome we are aiming to • Measuring Group Outcomes: Track and evaluate progress achieve for everyone? How are we ensuring the goal reflects for each group to adjust strategies as needed. Ask: What the needs of all community members, including the most mechanisms are in place to track and evaluate outcomes marginalized? for different demographic groups? How are we using outcome data to refine or adjust strategies for specific • Identifying Specific Barriers: Analyze and identify the groups when progress is not being made? distinct barriers faced by marginalized groups in achieving the universal goal. Ask: Which specific communities or groups are most disproportionately impacted by the issue? How are we using data to identify and understand the unique barriers faced by these groups? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 77 OBJECTIVE A ACTION Expanding Integration of Data Across AREA 4 Programs and Systems Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 1. Provide technical assistance to state-funded programs addressing Cal ICH HCD, CDSS, Will impact all plan goals homelessness and their grantees that are required to comply with CCCCO, AB 977 (Gabriel, Chapter 397, Statutes of 2021) HMIS data entry CalVet, DHCS, requirements. Update AB 977 Data Summaries Dashboards so that and others as state departments have insight into program trends and outcomes. identified based on statute 2. Streamline data sharing with Council member departments and Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals agencies by establishing policies and procedures. 3. Combine HDIS and Health and Human Services data to understand BCSH, CalHHS, All Council Goal 4: Prevent more people from connections between homelessness and health services, and to Cal ICH departments and experiencing homelessness help monitor the goals of the Action Plan. Expand the number of agencies participating departments. 4. Use McKinney-Vento data to document and understand the Cal ICH via Youth CDE, CCCCO Will impact all plan goals experiences of homelessness for youth in California schools. and Young Adults Working Group 5. Review VA and local databases with HDIS to compare data on veterans CalVet Cal ICH Will impact all goals experiencing homelessness. 6. Align Independent Living Center definitions within HDIS for people that DOR Goal 4: Prevent more people from are at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. experiencing homelessness 7. Include education data on youth identified as homeless in state reports CDE Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals and data collection efforts related to homelessness. This will help provide a broader picture of youth homelessness than what is currently included in Point-in-Time counts and other reporting. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 78 OBJECTIVE B ACTION Measuring Impact and Outcomes of State AREA 4 Strategies and Programs Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 8. Collect fiscal and outcome data from state departments and agencies Cal ICH Council Will impact all plan goals administering state homelessness programs identified in an AB 799 (L. departments Rivas, Chapter 263, Statutes of 2024), beginning in Fiscal Year 2025- and agencies 26, and make the data publicly available annually starting in 2027. as identified in statute 9. Manage quarterly data uploads and implement improvements to Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals increase HDIS data quality and accuracy, including by providing tools, trainings, and technical assistance for Continuums of Care. 10. Track and analyze trends in enrollment data for individuals DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave experiencing homelessness within the Enhanced Care Management unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help Program. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 11. Track and analyze trends in uptake data for individuals experiencing DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave homelessness within Community Supports. unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 12. Analyze and report on outcomes from Tribal and BIPOC developer CTCAC Goal 5: Create more housing set-aside programs, as well as other efforts to provide housing opportunities for extremely low-income households. 13. Analyze time between funding approval and occupancy dates for CalHFA Goal 5: Create more housing CalHFA projects. Identify barriers to project completion. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 79 Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 14. Share findings, insights, and lessons learned from Project Roomkey, CDSS Will impact all plan goals Home Safe, and Bringing Families Home evaluations to inform and strengthen local homelessness response efforts. 15. Conduct an annual statewide encampment survey and assess Caltrans Goal 1: Help more people leave effectiveness of strategies used to address encampments on Caltrans unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help property. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 16. Evaluate Diversion and Community -Based Restoration program DSH Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into outcomes, ensure collection of client and service-level data, and find housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people opportunities to link HDIS and DSH data to evaluate programs. from experiencing homelessness 17. Track and report California Workforce Development Board program CWDB Goal 2: Help more people move into data for people experiencing homelessness, including participants housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people served, career services provided, credentials received, and successful from experiencing homelessness; Goal employment placements. Gather regional data on training and 3: Ensure people do not experience employment using input from the Jobs First High Road Training homelessness again Collaborative. OBJECTIVE C ACTION Performing Analyses to Drive Future AREA 4 Decision-Making Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 18. Develop a data-based methodology for better identifying households BCSH, CalHHS Goal 4: Prevent more people from at risk of experiencing homelessness. Measure those at risk of experiencing homelessness experiencing homelessness within specific social safety net programs (e.g. Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, etc.) to understand how those programs contribute to prevention of homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 80 ACTION AREA 4 OBJECTIVE C Performing Analyses to Drive Future Decision-Making Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 19. Develop measures and goals for state-funded homelessness programs Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals to end homelessness among unaccompanied youth, survivors of domestic violence and their children, and unaccompanied women in alignment with SB 914 (Rubio, Chapter 665, Statutes of 2022) and SB 918 (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018). Improve coordination between the homelessness response system, youth service providers, Victim Service Providers, and those populations experiencing homelessness. 20. Improve and enhance data tools to increase public understanding of Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals homelessness services in California through expansion of the HDIS dashboards and open data portal, development of targeted support for Continuums of Care, and publishing of new CA System Performance Measure dashboards for CoCs. 21. Analyze homelessness trends, gaps, and challenges across local areas Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals to inform statewide efforts and identify specific areas of focus for the development of resources to support local systems of care. 22. Analyze spending from California’s housing finance programs to assess BCSH Cal ICH, HCD, Goal 5: Create more housing; Goal 2: Help impact and benefits to older adults and people with disabilities and the CalHFA, CTCAC more people move into housing extent to which the programs have benefitted this population. 23. Analyze existing data from all relevant CDCR programs and identify CDCR Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals data- sharing opportunities to understand who is at risk of experiencing homelessness among people preparing to exit prison. Partner with Continuums of Care to begin planning efforts to address the needs of people pre-release and those under community supervision. 24. Use the findings from the non Medi-Cal Home and Community Based CDA DHCS, CDSS, Goal 4: Prevent more people from Services Gap Analysis to understand the supply of affordable housing DOR, CalVet experiencing homelessness for older adults and people with disabilities, elevate the needs of underrepresented populations, and identify services in underserved areas. 25. Continue building upon the Data Dashboard for Aging by expanding CDA DOR Will impact all plan goals research and data functions and including housing and homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 81 ACTION AREA 4 OBJECTIVE C Performing Analyses to Drive Future Decision-Making Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 26. Analyze higher education programs, including Basic Needs Centers CCCCO Will impact all plan goals data to find gaps in meeting the needs of students at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and identify inequities in service provision and outcomes. 27. Implement Population Health Management Service to develop better DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave data-driven approaches and better understand risk for individuals unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help experiencing homelessness. more people move into housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 28. Track and measure families and youth under 18 experiencing CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from homelessness, including population level surveillance and CDPH experiencing homelessness service provision 29. Analyze mortality data for people experiencing homelessness, CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from specifically focusing on deaths caused by climate-related factors. experiencing homelessness 30. Collect and analyze data on indoor air quality conditions at congregate CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from shelters to identify any environmental health risks. experiencing homelessness 31. Analyze data and create a dashboard to increase the availability of CDPH Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals health data about people experiencing homelessness, including information about population, mortality, and housing instability among California’s birthing population. 32. Use Geographic Information System, social vulnerability index, and Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from other data sources to understand the impact of disasters on vulnerable experiencing homelessness communities, including people experiencing homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 82 ACTION AREA 5 Advancing Best Practices & Quality Actions in this Action Area focus on providing tools, guidance, training, and technical assistance to state and local partners, highlighting innovative and effective work to help ensure the quality of state-funded programs and services and to support housing and services providers in implementing best practices within their programs. These actions drive progress toward the following Objectives: Objective A Objective C Advancing Housing First and Exploring New Models and Other Best Practices within Innovations Program Implementation Objective B Effectively Reaching Historically Marginalized Communities CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 83 ACTION Cal ICH Statutory Obligations AREA 5 Through implementing the Activities and pursuing the Objectives • To set goals to prevent and end homelessness among in Action Area 5, Cal ICH will make progress on its statutory California’s youth. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(14) obligations to: • To improve the safety, health, and welfare of young people • Implement Housing First by ensuring all state programs experiencing homelessness in the state. Welf & Inst. Code § identified in statute incorporate Housing First Core 8257 (b)(15) Components. Welf & Inst. Code § 8255 - 8256 • To lead efforts to coordinate a spectrum of funding, policy, • Serve as the statewide facilitator, coordinator, and and practice efforts related to young people experiencing policy development resource on preventing and ending homelessness. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(17) homelessness in California. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(9) • To identify best practices to ensure homeless minors who may • To report to the Governor, federal cabinet members, and the have experienced maltreatment, as described in Section 300, Legislature on homelessness. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(10) are appropriately referred to, or have the ability to self-refer to, the child welfare system. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(18) • To identify and implement strategies to fight homelessness in small communities and rural area. Welf & Inst. Code § 8257 (b)(12) CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 84 EQUITY Continuous Quality Improvement FRAMEWORK (Person-Centered Input Processes) FOR ACTION AREA 5 The Continuous Quality Improvement framework helps • Doing: Implement equity-focused interventions with a focus organizations test and refine changes before fully implementing on marginalized groups. Ask: What steps are we taking to them. It involves planning a change, trying it on a small scale, implement targeted interventions for marginalized groups? studying the results, and acting on what is learned to make How are we ensuring our actions directly address the adjustments. This cycle promotes ongoing learning and specific barriers faced by these communities? improvement to achieve better outcomes over time. • Studying: Analyze data and feedback to assess the In implementing Actions to advance best practices and quality, effectiveness of interventions in addressing racial Council member departments and agencies are committed disparities. Ask: What metrics or indicators are we using to to embracing policies and practices that are aligned with this assess the impact of our interventions on racial disparities? framework, including: How are we gathering feedback from the affected communities to evaluate the effectiveness of our efforts? • Planning: Identify racial inequities and set specific equity goals using data and community input. Ask: How • Acting: Refine strategies based on findings, scaling are we using data to identify racial disparities, and what successful approaches, and making necessary adjustments specific equity goals have we set? How are marginalized to improve racial equity outcomes. Ask: Based on the data communities involved in the planning process to ensure and feedback, what adjustments do we need to make to their needs are addressed, particularly those with lived improve equity outcomes? How will we scale successful experience, and communities identifying as Black or African interventions to reach more communities and increase their American, Native American or Indigenous, and Native impact? Hawaiian or Pacific Islander? CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 85 OBJECTIVE A ACTION Advancing Housing First and Other Best AREA 5 Practices within Program Implementation Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 1. Advance best practices and lessons learned identified through DHCS Goal 1: Help more people leave experiences delivering CalAIM Enhanced Care Management unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help and Community Supports to members experiencing or at risk of more people move into housing; Goal 4: homelessness. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 2. Embed statutory Housing First requirements into CDCR recovery CDCR Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into housing contract requirements, in order to provide participants with housing; Goal 3: Ensure people do not meaningful choices and minimize exits to homelessness. Report out on experience homelessness again outcomes from participants in specified programs. 3. Continue to develop and deploy Housing First training to sites funded CalVet Cal ICH, HCD Goal 2: Help more people move into by the Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program. housing; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again. Ensure People Do Not Become Homeless Again 4. Finalize and distribute recommendations for water, sanitation, and CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from hygiene services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. experiencing homelessness Ensure local health jurisdictions are aware of and understand the recommendations. 5. Continue strategic communications to inform the public about the BCSH Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals causes of homelessness, effective solutions, the state’s approach, and relevant programs. 6. Identify best practices to increase access to state-funded Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals homelessness programs and services. departments and agencies 7. Develop and distribute resources and guidance in partnership with the Cal ICH via LEAB CDPH via LEAB Will impact all plan goals Cal ICH LEAB for local, state, and Tribal partners to support effective homelessness program development and implementation. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 86 ACTION AREA 5 OBJECTIVE A Advancing Housing First and Other Best Practices within Program Implementation Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 8. Continue to develop and distribute best practices to districts, charter CDE Cal ICH, BCSH, Goal 2: Help more people move into schools, and county offices of education, on the implementation of HCD housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people legislative changes, including best practices in serving McKinney-Vento from experiencing homelessness children, youth, and families. 9. Support the implementation of the McKinney-Vento Act to ensure that CDE, Cal ICH BCSH, HCD Will impact all plan goals the federal rights of students experiencing homelessness are upheld throughout California. Engage with state-level partners for alignment and understanding. 10. Continue to convene the California Higher Education Basic Needs CCCCO Cal ICH Goal 1: Help more people leave Alliance intersegmental workgroup and annual Summit, with an unsheltered homelessness; Goal 2: Help emphasis on promoting best practices to coordinate with local more people move into housing; Goal 4: homelessness response systems. Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness 11. Maximize the impact of the Homeless and Housing Insecurity Program CCCCO DHCS, CDSS, Goal 2: Help more people move into funding through ongoing, data-driven programmatic improvements and HCD housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people by encouraging collaboration with the network of Basic Needs Centers from experiencing homelessness for students on campuses. 12. Expand current educational, training, and technical assistance DSH Cal ICH, CDCR Goal 2: Help more people move into opportunities for local partners to address the housing and treatment housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people needs of people in pre-trial mental health diversion or Community- from experiencing homelessness Based Restoration (CBR) programs. Support local partners’ planning for transitioning diversion or transitioning CBR clients to long-term/ permanent housing and treatment. 13. Strengthen the Public Health Administrative Manual to promote and CDPH Will impact all plan goals provide guidance for recruiting, hiring, and retaining individuals with lived experience. Add equity, trauma-informed, and healing-centered engagement to grant requirements. 14. Provide guidance on best practices for serving people with disabilities DOR Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals within state-funded homelessness services and programs to improve cultural competency and capacity. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 87 OBJECTIVE B ACTION Effectively Reaching Historically AREA 5 Marginalized Communities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 15. Expand technical assistance and guidance to include the use of Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals equity frameworks that analyze racial inequities and other disparities. departments and Prioritize training and resources to support equitable access to agencies services, and resources for marginalized communities. 16. Support communities in responding to climate change by working on CDPH Goal 4: Prevent more people from projects such as developing public health strategies in partnership with experiencing homelessness the Center for Preparedness that are inclusive of the needs of people experiencing homelessness, improving air quality in congregate shelter, and responding to extreme weather. 17. Update the Listos California Disaster Guide for People Experiencing Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from Homelessness. Provide disaster coordination resources and tools to experiencing homelessness support and encourage local communities to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness before, during, and after disasters. Disseminate these resources to subrecipients, local CBOs, Continuums of Care, and Tribal entities through technical assistance and training opportunities. 18. Identify and implement models that integrate person-centered DOR Goal 2: Help more people move into employment and independent living services into programs serving housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people people who are experiencing homelessness. from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 19. Utilize the State Funding and Programs Working Group to develop Cal ICH via Will impact all Will impact all plan goals recommendations on how state partners can better coordinate and State Funding plan goals streamline state-funded housing and homelessness programs. Provide and Programs recommendations to the Council, Advisory Committee, and LEAB for Working Group their review and adoption. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 88 ACTION AREA 5 OBJECTIVE B Effectively Reaching Historically Marginalized Communities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 20. Utilize the Racial Equity Working Group to develop recommendations Cal ICH via Will impact all Will impact all plan goals on how state partners should design, implement, and assess programs Racial Equity plan goals in order to address racial inequities present within the homelessness Working Group response system. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. 21. Utilize the Youth and Young Adults Working Group to develop Cal ICH via Youth Will impact all Will impact all plan goals recommendations on how state partners should design, implement, and Young Adults plan goals and assess programs in order to address the specific needs of Working Group youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. 22. Utilize the Re-Entry/Transitions Working Group to develop Cal ICH via Re- Will impact all Will impact all plan goals recommendations on how state partners should design, implement, Entry/Transitions plan goals and assess programs to address the housing needs of people exiting Working Group incarceration. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. 23. Utilize the Tribal advisory group to develop recommendations on how Cal ICH via Tribal Will impact all Will impact all plan goals state partners should design, implement, and assess programs to advisory group plan goals address the specific needs of people experiencing homelessness in Tribal communities. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 89 OBJECTIVE C ACTION Exploring New Models and AREA 5 Innovations Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 24. Implement the Veterans Support of Self-Reliance pilot program to CalVet Goal 4: Prevent more people from identify and evaluate approaches that help aging, highly vulnerable experiencing homelessness. Improve veterans with a history of homelessness who are residing in permanent Connections to Health and Social supportive housing. The goal is to support veterans to thrive within Services; Goal 3: Ensure people do not community-based housing with appropriate services and supports. experience homelessness again. Ensure People Do Not Become Homeless Again 25. Collaborate with LEAs and state-level educational partners to identify CDE Cal ICH, Cal OES Goal 2: Help more people move into needs of students experiencing homelessness as the result of natural housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people disasters and/or other emergencies, and develop strategies, resources, from experiencing homelessness and tools to address those needs. 26. Explore shared housing, shallow rental subsidies, and other models CDA HCD Goal 2: Help more people move into that provide housing options for older adults who are insecurely housed housing or at risk of homelessness. 27. Analyze various housing models and identify successful models that CCCCO Cal ICH Goal 2: Help more people move into could be adapted for students at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. housing 28. Develop policies to incorporate employment centers into state-funded CWDB Cal ICH Goal 4: Prevent more people from housing programs, including both interim and permanent housing. experiencing homelessness CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 90 Implementation Plan This section summarizes activities Cal ICH and Council member departments and agencies will take to implement the Action Plan over its three-year timeframe. Upon adoption of this Plan, Cal ICH staff will build out a more detailed implementation plan to ensure its effective and long-term impact through activities that will focus on: • Regular and Transparent Performance Measurement • Analyzing and Addressing Inequities • Coordination Across Council Departments and Agencies • Collaboration with External Partners • Public Education and Awareness • Refining the Plan for the Future 91 IMPLEMENTATION Regular and Transparent Performance • To support those efforts, the Cal ICH Racial Equity Working PLAN Group has identified Racial Equity Frameworks that are Measurement paired with each Action Area. This Working Group will provide technical assistance to Council departments and agencies in • Cal ICH and CalHHS staff will work together to develop a using these frameworks to ensure that equity is embedded methodology to measure Goal 4, identify the baseline data across all elements of the implementation of this Plan. from calendar year 2023, and build out a numeric goal to be included in a future update to the Plan. • Similarly, the Cal ICH LEAB will continue to offer guidance and advice to Council partners in order to provide the • To understand the progress made in the pursuit of the Action perspectives of people who have or are currently experiencing Plan’s vision, Cal ICH staff will provide annual reports on homelessness in the early stages of their program design. outcomes related to each of the Plan’s five goals. Coordination Across Council Departments • Cal ICH staff will assess the Council’s progress through its goals as well as possible supplementary measures relevant to and Agencies each goal. This includes disaggregating the goal data by race and other demographic factors to understand how inequities • Cal ICH staff have developed and will continue to implement are being addressed within the state’s efforts. methods for regular collaboration with partners at each of our Council member departments and agencies. • Council departments and agencies will work with Cal ICH to ensure that they and their grantees are providing data on the • In order to ensure the commitments in the Action Plan are metrics necessary for measuring the impact of each of their met, Cal ICH staff will use these close partnerships to follow strategic investments on the achievement of this Plan’s goals. up on successes achieved and challenges faced in the implementation of the Plan’s actions, and help address those • The Cal ICH Racial Equity Working Group will also report challenges whenever possible. on the use of the Plan’s racial equity frameworks and the progress made through their implementation across state • Cal ICH staff will connect departments and agencies programs. These reports will be made public and enable doing overlapping or parallel work in order to strengthen the Council and other key partners to make data-informed coordination and impact. decisions about how to meet our vision to prevent and end • The Council will utilize time at its meetings for updates on homelessness. Action Plan implementation and information or training Analyzing and Addressing Inequities related to the work identified in the Plan. • Council member departments and agencies will ensure their programs are designed and implemented to address inequities. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 92 IMPLEMENTATION Collaboration with External Partners • Additionally, Cal ICH staff will ensure the accessibility and PLAN utility of this Plan’s information by publishing it on the Cal ICH • The Council intends for this Action Plan to also be used as a website in a format that allows members of the public to filter roadmap for preventing and ending homelessness by other for the information relevant to their interests. Examples may policy makers, funders, planners, and leaders across the include: state. The publication of this plan can encourage our partners » A data dashboard for the Plan goals that allows users to in these sectors to understand how they can contribute to disaggregate baseline data by various demographic factors supporting the state in meeting its vision and goals. or locations. • Cal ICH staff will act as cross-system facilitators in connecting » A strategic funding guide that provides supplementary local leaders and partners so that they can work more information about investments such as the populations they effectively together. serve and their eligible uses. • Council member departments and agencies will reach out to » A database of all plan actions that can be sorted by specific the State Legislature, state-level advocacy partners, as well departments or agencies or what subpopulations they are as local and Tribal jurisdictions to provide them with detailed geared toward. information about how the Plan can be useful in their ongoing Refining the Plan for the Future homelessness efforts. Public Education and Awareness • During the third year of Plan implementation, the Council will conduct a comprehensive review of progress and • Cal ICH and its member departments and agencies will performance. The review will inform planning processes to communicate broadly about the publication of the new Action develop an updated or new plan to continue strengthening Plan. and advancing the state’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness. • Council member departments and agencies will use newsletters, social media, and other regular forums to discuss the key elements of the new Plan. State staff will also attend relevant conferences and speaking engagements to share this information and get feedback from partners on how to most effectively achieve the vision and goals of this plan. • Member departments and agencies will follow up with local partner groups and grantees to ensure they are informed of the work committed to in the Plan. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 93 Appendices Appendix A: The California Interagency Council on Homelessness........95 Appendix B: Advisory and Implementation Groups to Drive Progress ......97 Appendix C: State Actions to Address Tribal Homelessness ............102 Appendix D: Plan Development Processes and Public Engagement ......106 Appendix E: List of Acronyms and Meanings Used Within Action Plan ....107 94 Appendix A: The California Interagency Council on Homelessness History and Mission The Council The California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) The Council, co-chaired by the Secretary of the Business, was created by SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) and the 2016) in 2017 as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS), Council to oversee the implementation of Housing First policies, is comprised of 18 leaders from State departments and guidelines, and regulations aimed at reducing duration of agencies, one community leader appointed by the Speaker of homelessness in California. the Assembly, and one community leader appointed by the Senate Rules Committee. In 2021, Governor Newsom signed AB 1220 (L. Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) into law, which renamed and restructured The Council meets quarterly and guides and directs the the Council to continue California’s forward momentum toward implementation of this Action Plan. Council members are the state’s broader vision for enhanced statewide leadership and responsible for mobilizing actions and accountability across coordination in its response to the homelessness crisis. As the their departments and agencies in support of the Action Plan’s state’s leading entity to addressing homelessness, the Council’s implementation. mission is to develop policies and identify resources, benefits, Cal ICH staff and services to prevent and work toward ending homelessness in California. The team of staff at Cal ICH is responsible for monitoring the implementation of this Action Plan and for working Roles and Statutory Goals with senior staff across Council member departments and Activities identified within this Action Plan are designed to fulfill agencies to ensure that the Activities committed to in this Plan Cal ICH’s role in coordinating state efforts to prevent and end are implemented and well-coordinated; and reports to the homelessness in California and to achieve 19 statutory goals, Council on the progress of the Plan’s implementation and its including five youth-related goals identified through SB 918 achievement of the Plan’s five goals. (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018). These statutory goals Additionally, the team of Cal ICH staff oversee and implement: are pursued through both the Interagency Council and a team of Cal ICH staff within the Business, Consumer Services and • The development and ongoing management of the Homeless Housing Agency. Data Integration System (HDIS) and provide analyses and assessment activities, CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 95 APPENDIX A • Coordination of Interagency Council activities across Council departments and agencies to ensure alignment with policy priorities and best practices. • Partnerships with CoCs, Federal agencies, city and county governments, non-profits, housing and services providers, and other stakeholders to advance shared and coordinated work to improve State-funded services and programs. Cal ICH staff also work in consultation with the Governor’s Office and with the Legislature as subject-matter policy experts to guide and strengthen the state’s response to homelessness. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 96 Appendix B: Advisory and Implementation Groups to Drive Progress The implementation of this Action Plan will be supported through LEAB members meet with staff from Cal ICH and other Council additional advisory and implementation groups convened by Cal departments and agencies to provide thought partnership on ICH. Each of these groups works in coordination with each other a variety of policies and programs. They serve as a resource and are crucial in guiding and assessing the implementation of for questions from Council partners on policy design and the Action Plan. implementation as well as move forward with their own priorities that guide their work and advocacy efforts. Priorities are Lived Experience Advisory Board regularly identified by LEAB members, and Cal ICH staff help Cal ICH formed a Lived Experience Advisory Board (LEAB) to identify projects for them to take on within those priorities. Their inform a broad range of work conducted by Cal ICH and other 2023 priorities are as follows: department staff. In some instances, the LEAB may help inform 1. Work to End Criminalization of People Experiencing the Council on its priorities and actions. One of Cal ICH’s guiding Homelessness: Advocate against laws and practices that principles is to ensure decisions are deeply informed and penalize individuals experiencing homelessness. guided by people with lived experiences of homelessness. This ensures that systems, programs, and policies are influenced by 2. Promote a Focus on Prevention: Emphasize strategies that those with firsthand knowledge of homelessness systems. By prevent homelessness before it occurs. collaborating with policymakers and service providers, LEAB 3. Advocate for More Affordable, Permanent, Supportive, and members help identify both challenges and effective solutions Sustainable Housing: Push for increased availability of long- within the homelessness response system. term, affordable housing options with supportive services. The LEAB is comprised of members representing diverse 4. Center Lived Experience/Expertise in Decision Making: populations including race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other Ensure that individuals with lived experience are integral to demographic characteristics representative of the diverse the decision-making processes at all levels. populations of individuals experiencing homelessness in California. Members began onboarding and held their first • The LEAB’s priorities serve to highlight the issues members meeting in Fall 2023. Members meet monthly and receive view as most urgent for the Council and other system leaders reimbursement for their participation. to address, guide the LEAB in accepting project requests that align with their priorities, and develop LEAB-driven initiatives. The Cal ICH LEAB Members webpage contains an updated list of member photos and biographical statements. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 97 APPENDIX B Advisory Committee to the Council for consideration, with Cal ICH staff helping identify strategies the Council and its partners can use to move The work of the Council is bolstered by the formation of an recommendations forward. Advisory Committee, which helps advise the Council to ensure its work is effective and well-informed by experts on homelessness The Cal ICH Co-Chairs have appointed members to this across a variety of sectors. AB 1220 (L. Rivas, Chapter 398, committee with a diverse set of expertise on policies related to Statutes of 2021), modified by SB 1421 (Jones, Chapter homelessness, including lived experience. The Cal ICH Advisory 671, Statutes of 2022), called for the creation of an Advisory Committee Members webpage contains an updated list of Committee as follows: member photos and biographical statements. The Council shall regularly seek guidance from and, at least Interagency Working Groups twice a year, meet with an Advisory Committee. The Co-Chairs of The original Action Plan, adopted in March 2021, identified the Council shall appoint members to this Advisory Committee, the need for interagency Working Groups to provide ensuring it reflects racial and gender diversity, and shall include recommendations to the Council on how to address specific the following: issues related to homelessness. These Working Groups • A survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced bring together staff from a variety of Council departments homelessness. and agencies, alongside community members with relevant knowledge, to dig into the Council’s priority areas and identify • Representatives of local agencies or organizations that ways the Council can make progress on these priorities. participate in the United States Department of Housing and Each Working Group is aligned with priorities identified by Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program. stakeholders and partners during the development of the Action Plan. Some may be time-limited, while others may be sustained • Partners with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best for longer terms or on an ongoing basis. practices from other states. The Working Groups develop priorities, implementation plans, • Representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and measures to assess the implementation and impact of their and survivors of gender-based violence. efforts. Working Groups regularly report on their efforts and • A current or formerly homeless person who lives in California. progress through the quarterly Council meetings. Each Working Group is charged with addressing racial inequities and with • A current or formerly homeless youth who lives in California. tailoring solutions and strategies for different populations of • A current or formerly homeless person with a developmental people experiencing homelessness. Working Group membership disability. is designed to include a diverse set of expertise on the specific topic to be addressed. The Advisory Committee meets quarterly and provides guidance and feedback on topics to be discussed by the Council. The Listed below are the Working Groups that Cal ICH has convened Committee’s feedback and recommendations are brought so far, with summaries of their priorities and group membership. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 98 APPENDIX B State Funding and Programs Working Group • Analyzing data and reporting across State programs to assess equity in access, housing interventions, services, and Comprised of State staff only, this Working Group was formed in outcomes for communities identifying as Black or African 2021 and has prioritized: American, Native American or Indigenous, Native Hawaiian or • Racial Equity: Ensuring financial resources, technical Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian Americans, and other assistance, and guidance effectively reaches marginalized persons of color. communities. • Refining procurement processes to ensure more equitable • Cross-System Coordination: Creating greater alignment and distribution of funds and reach into historically marginalized consistency across state funding programs. communities, including Tribal communities. • Lived Experience: Providing guidance on the uses, targeting • Engaging with State agencies’ offices of equity and the and deployment of State funding. Department of Fair Employment and Housing more fully. • Performance Measurement: Setting performance • Providing guidance to support communities in not measurement targets for the scale of impact of state funding implementing inequitable policies and practices, including programs. criminalization measures and enforcement activities. • Disability and Aging Equity: Ensuring financial resources, TA, • Other strategies and activities to address inequities in and guidance effectively reaches marginalized communities. homelessness and housing instability determined by the Working Group. • Tribal Engagement: Increasing access to state programs, funding, and assistance for Tribal communities. Additionally, the Racial Equity Working Group has designed a Racial Equity Implementation Hub to assist Council member Current participating departments include: Cal ICH, HCD, CDSS, departments and agencies in their work to center racial equity DHCS, Cal OES, CDPH, CDCR, CCCCO, CDE, CDA, CalHFA, DSH, in the design and implementation of homelessness policies CalVet, Caltrans, DOR, and other Cal ICH member departments and programs. See below for more detail on the Racial Equity as needed. Implementation Hub. Racial Equity Working Group Current participating departments include: Cal ICH, HCD, CDSS, Including both State staff and community partners, this Working CDCR, Cal OES, DHCS, CDPH, DOR, and CalVet, alongside a Group was formed in 2022 with a mission to develop inclusive, number of community members with expertise on homelessness culturally responsive, and equity-driven solutions to prevent and and racial equity. end homelessness in California. Initial Working Group priorities include, but are not limited to: Youth and Young Adults Working Group Including both State staff and community partners, this Working • Expanding the range of strategies and activities being Group was formed in 2024 with a mission to bring together key implemented by State agencies. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 99 APPENDIX B youth and young adult partners from across the state to support • Expanding the range of strategies and activities being statewide strategies to prevent and end homelessness by implemented by State agencies serving individuals centering the lens and unique needs of youth and young adults transitioning back into communities from institutional and in California. Initial Working Group priorities include, but are not corrections settings. limited to: • Analyzing data and reporting across State programs to • Assessing the impact of State homelessness and housing assess equity in access, housing interventions, services, and programs in creating opportunities for youth and young adults. outcomes for individuals transitioning back into communities from institutional and corrections settings. • Identifying and removing barriers to access to State-funded programs for youth-serving organizations. • Disaggregating data on communities identifying as Black or African American, Native American or Indigenous, • Providing guidance regarding assessment processes, tools, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, and prioritization policies that appropriately address safety Asian Americans, and other persons of color; people with and other needs of youth and young adults. disabilities; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, two-spirit individuals. • Identifying strategies for preventing homelessness among youth with connections to child welfare, juvenile justice, and • Providing guidance to support communities, agencies, education and other systems. and organizations in implementing equitable policies and practices. • Other priorities determined by the Working Group members. • Other strategies and activities determined by the Working Current participating departments include: Cal ICH, CDE, Group. CDSS, HCD, Cal OES, CCCCO, and DOR, alongside a number of community members with expertise on youth and young adult Participating departments to include: Cal ICH, CDCR, Caltrans, homelessness. CDSS, HCD, DHCS, DOR, CWDB, and CDA, alongside a number of community members with expertise on homelessness among Transitions and Re-Entry Working Group people leaving incarceration. Including both State staff and community partners, this Working Group is planned to be formed in 2025, with a mission of Racial Equity Implementation Hub bringing together key partners from across the state to identify In order to maintain a dedicated focus on addressing racial the major barriers to accessing housing for people leaving inequities within the work to prevent and end homelessness, Cal incarceration or under community supervision and provide ICH and the Racial Equity Working Group (REWG) have designed recommendations on how to reduce homelessness among this the Racial Equity Implementation Hub to be built and launched population. Initial Working Group priorities may include, but are in 2025. not limited to: CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 100 APPENDIX B As the Council works together toward the shared goal listed Key Components of the Racial Equity Implementation Hub in this plan, it’s crucial to recognize that success hinges not include: just on a strong plan but on effective and well-supported • Consultation and Coaching: Offering expert guidance to state implementation. Implementation supports act as a bridge departments on integrating racial equity principles into their between policy and practice by ensuring state departments, policies and programs. providers, and local partners can deploy strategies aligned with the Action Plan’s goals. Without support, there’s a risk of • Technical Assistance: Providing hands-on support to this Plan’s strategies not translating into meaningful action. implement equity-driven solutions and overcome barriers to Moreover, state departments need technical assistance, training, equitable service delivery. and resources to build and sustain the capacity required for undoing systemic racism and advancing systems alignment. • Resource Provision: Supplying tools, best practices, and frameworks to facilitate the development and execution of With the above acknowledgement, providing robust equitable strategies. implementation support to Council partners is essential to translate the Action Plan into real-world outcomes. The path • Data Analysis and Monitoring: Assisting in the collection to preventing and ending homelessness is complex, and and analysis of disaggregated data to identify disparities and sustaining progress requires ongoing support. The Racial Equity measure progress. Implementation Hub provides the structure and support needed • Community Engagement: Ensuring that the voices of those to ensure that the implementation of the Action Plan results in most affected by homelessness are included in decision- racially equitable outcomes. making processes. The Racial Equity Implementation Hub is a pivotal system component designed by the REWG. This Hub will serve as a resource center, providing consultation, coaching, and technical assistance to state departments. By leveraging the expertise and tools offered by the Hub, Cal ICH in partnership with the REWG aim to ensure that all strategies and interventions are equitable, culturally responsive, and effectively address the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. By establishing the Racial Equity Implementation Hub, Cal ICH is committed to creating a more just and inclusive approach to ending homelessness, ensuring that all Californians have the opportunity to not only survive but thrive. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 101 Appendix C: State Actions to Address Tribal Homelessness As people from Native American or Indigenous communities and Tribal Nations experience homelessness at higher rates than other communities experiencing homelessness, this Plan increases focus on State efforts to include and coordinate with Native American or Indigenous communities and Tribal Nations to address homelessness in these communities. Below are the Actions listed throughout the Plan that focus on Native American or Indigenous communities and Tribal Nations. See the Cal ICH Tribal Resources webpage for more Tribal-specific resources. PHOTO CREDIT: Erica Pinola, Redwood Valley Little River Band of Pomo Indians ACTION AREA 2 Coordinating & Streamlining State Programs Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 3. Strengthen internal coordination across teams to increase housing and CDPH Will impact all plan goals homelessness resources provided to California’s Tribal Communities. 29. Develop and maintain a strategic funding guide and calendar of new Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals or existing funding opportunities from departments and agencies departments and administering state homelessness programs, in compliance with agencies AB 799 (L. Rivas, Chapter 263, Statutes of 2024, to ensure eligible applicants are informed of available funding opportunities. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 102 ACTION AREA 3 Engaging Partners & Communities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 10. Develop a Tribal advisory group with expertise on the needs of Tribal Cal ICH Will impact all plan goals communities to create recommendations for addressing their specific needs in preventing and ending homelessness. 11. Provide pre-application and other technical assistance and training Cal ICH, HCD, Will impact all plan goals opportunities, participate in listening or feedback sessions, and CDSS adapt program guidelines and guidance, to enhance access to State homelessness and housing programs and resources, and other support services, for federally recognized Tribes, Tribal organizations, Tribal consortium, and Tribal entities in California. 12. Engage with Tribal entities and new developers to ensure success of set CTCAC Goal 5: Create more housing asides, address community needs, and increase utilization. 13. Conduct Tribal consultations and roundtable discussions to identify CalHFA BCSH, HCD, Goal 2: Help more people move into opportunities to improve Tribal communities’ access to programs. CTCAC housing 14. Expand culturally competent outreach to ensure access to State- CalHFA BCSH, HCD, Goal 2: Help more people move into funded housing programs across racial, ethnic, gender, geographic, CTCAC housing and affordability demographics, including with Tribal communities. 17. Identify appropriate Tribal partners in each Caltrans District who can Caltrans Goal 4: Prevent more people from provide support to local services providers who meet unsheltered experiencing homelessness members of Tribal communities. 18. Develop new relationships and partnerships with Tribal Nations to begin CWDB Goal 2: Help more people move into development of workforce training programs. housing; Goal 4: Prevent more people from experiencing homelessness; Goal 3: Ensure people do not experience homelessness again 24. Engage Emergency Operations Centers, local communities, and Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from Tribal partners to include their unhoused populations into emergency experiencing homelessness operations plans. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 103 ACTION AREA 3 Engaging Partners & Communities Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 33. Facilitate opportunities for collaboration across local jurisdictions, Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals Continuums of Care, and Tribal partners to expand knowledge of departments and current initiatives and share successful strategies to improve statewide agencies outcomes. ACTION AREA 4 Using Data Strategically Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 12. Analyze and report on outcomes from Tribal and BIPOC developer CTCAC Goal 5: Create more housing set-aside programs, as well as other efforts to provide housing opportunities for extremely low-income households. ACTION AREA 5 Advancing Best Practices & Quality Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 7. Develop and distribute resources and guidance in partnership with the Cal ICH via LEAB CDPH via LEAB Will impact all plan goals Cal ICH LEAB for local, state, and Tribal partners to support effective homelessness program development and implementation. 15. Expand technical assistance and guidance to include the use of Cal ICH All Council Will impact all plan goals equity frameworks that analyze racial inequities and other disparities. departments and Prioritize training and resources to support equitable access to agencies services, and resources for marginalized communities. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 104 ACTION AREA 5 Advancing Best Practices & Quality Actions Lead Collaorating Plan Goals Impact by Action Departments Departments 17. Update the Listos California Disaster Guide for People Experiencing Cal OES Goal 4: Prevent more people from Homelessness. Provide disaster coordination resources and tools to experiencing homelessness support and encourage local communities to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness before, during, and after a disaster. Disseminate to subrecipients, local CBOs, Continuums of Care, and Tribal entities through technical assistance and training opportunities. 19. Utilize the Racial Equity Working Group to develop recommendations Cal ICH via Will impact all Will impact all plan goals on how state partners should design, implement, and assess programs Racial Equity plan goals in order to address racial inequities present within the homelessness Working Group response system. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. 23. Utilize the Tribal advisory group to develop recommendations on how Cal ICH via Tribal Will impact all Will impact all plan goals state partners should design, implement, and assess programs in order advisory group plan goals to address the specific needs of people experiencing homelessness in Tribal communities. Provide recommendations to the Council and Advisory Committee for their review and adoption. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 105 Appendix D Plan Development Processes and Public Engagement Council Planning Process Engagement and Consultation with Partners In addition, staff from Cal ICH and other Council member The process of creating this new Action Plan was initiated departments and agencies actively engaged with people and in Fall 2023. Cal ICH staff and consultant Matthew Doherty organizations outside of state government, seeking input and developed this Plan under the guidance and direction of guidance to inform the Plan’s priorities and actions. the Council. The Plan’s development was deeply informed by conversations with State staff from all Cal ICH member These engagement activities included, but were not limited to: departments and agencies as well as input discussions with both internal and external partner groups. • Formal and informal Tribal consultation with Tribes across the state. This included government-to-government Interagency Council meetings provided critical collaborative consultations, hybrid regional Tribal listening sessions, and discussions and decisions during its development, focusing other opportunities for Plan feedback. especially on: • Presentations at homelessness conferences and discussions • Reviewing progress achieved with and challenges in with attendees on state efforts needed in the Plan. implementing the previous Action Plan; • Presentations and discussions with state and local partners, • Shaping the planning processes; advocates, and service providers. • Identifying and refining the Plan’s vision, guiding principles, Over the course of this Plan’s development, Cal ICH staff and action areas; engaged with hundreds of partners with expertise in a variety of areas to inform the design of this Plan to effectively prevent and • Identifying strategies for more coordinated action across end homelessness Council members; and This Action Plan was adopted by the California Interagency • Establishing the Plan’s goals. Council on Homelessness at its December 2024 meeting. Cal ICH staff facilitated regular input discussions with the Council’s Lived Experience Advisory Board, Advisory Committee, and Working Groups throughout the planning process to inform the design of the Plan. CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 106 Appendix E: List of Acronyms and Meanings Used Within Action Plan AB Assembly Bill CoC Continuum of Care BCSH California Business, Consumer Services and CSU California State University System Housing Agency CTCAC California Tax Credit Allocation Committee BIPOC Black, Indigenous, and people of color CWDB California Workforce Development Board CalAIM California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal DHCS California Department of Health Care Services CalHFA California Housing Finance Agency DOR California Department of Rehabilitation CalHHS California Health and Human Services Agency DSH California Department of State Hospitals Cal ICH California Interagency Council on Homelessness FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency CalOES California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services HCD California Department of Housing and Community Caltrans California Department of Transportation Development CalVet California Department of Veterans Affairs HDIS Homeless Data Integration System CARE Act Community Assistance, Recovery & Empowerment Act HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development CBO Community Based Organization LEA Local Educational Agency CCC California Community College System LEAB Lived Experience Advisory Board CCCCO California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Medi-Cal California’s Medicaid healthcare program CDA California Department of Aging PSH Permanent Supportive Housing CDCR California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation REWG Cal ICH Racial Equity Working Group CDE California Department of Education SB Senate Bill CDLAC California Debt Limit Allocation Committee UC University of California System CDPH California Department of Public Health VA U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CDSS California Department of Social Services CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 107 CALIFORNIA INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON HOMELESSNESS | ACTION PLAN 2025-2027 108 California Interagency Council on Homelessness CAL ICH www.bcsh.ca.gov/calich calich@bcsh.ca.gov