The 2019 Sacramento County Point in Time (PIT) Count showed a 19% increase in homelessness, which is consistent with data trends across California and the West Coast. The $12 billion package to address the housing and homelessness crisis in California arrives at a critical time, especially with the progressing public health crises brought on by COVID-19 and the California wildfires that have resulted in further economic downturn and displacement of people. The State of California has prioritized addressing the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis in California to support new and current housing and homelessness service programs across the state. For more information on the bodies that will facilitate these programs and their aims to address key areas including addressing family, youth, and student homelessness, increasing affordable housing units, and improving accountability in our homelessness response system, please read this letter from the HCFC Executive Officer.
The Sacramento Continuum of Care (CoC) will play an important responsibility in ensuring the appropriate allocation and utilization of these funds across Sacramento County programs working in the homelessness arena. These include providing up-to-date data and research, coordinating across the CoC, and providing recommendations to support the planning and implementation of programs and activities. The Sacramento region is expected to directly receive the following funding allocations through the HCFC’s third round of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAP-3).
Table 1: HHAP-3 Funding Allocations