Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Grants

California state funding to prevent and end homelessness

The California Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Program is a state-funded initiative launched in 2019 to provide flexible grants to cities, counties, and Continuums of Care (CoCs) to prevent and end homelessness. The program emphasizes regional coordination to move individuals and families into permanent housing and support their long-term stability.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) manages and monitors the HHAP program. Funding is awarded to eligible jurisdictions through annual applications and an allocation process established by the state. Five rounds of funding have been awarded between 2019 and 2024.

Resources

California Department of Housing and Community Development HHAP website

Summary of Sacramento Steps Forward 2025 Revenue, Services & Initiatives

Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan

HHAP Funding for Sacramento

The first five years of the HHAP program have provided approximately $160 million in funding to the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, and Sacramento CoC. These funds have supported a range of programs and services, requiring agencies to work together to coordinate efforts, maximize resources, and improve housing stability while reducing homelessness.

In 2022, a Local Homeless Action Plan directed the coordination of these investments for Sacramento’s homelessness response system. More recently, starting in 2024, the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan has been the guiding blueprint for collaboration.

Below is an overview of how the state’s HHAP funding has been allocated to Sacramento’s CoC over the first five years of the program. Note that this does not include allocations to the City and County.

HHAP Allocations to Sacramento CoC (Rounds 1-5)

HHAP Expenditures for Sacramento

The Sacramento CoC has strategically paced spending of state HHAP grants to focus on durable infrastructure and programs that will stabilize the homelessness response system over time. Investments have been made in prevention programs, 2-1-1 helpline integration with the Coordinated Access System, the Coordinated Access Navigation (CAN) team, and data systems like the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). These are foundational and meant to serve the community for years. This deliberate, phased approach ensures that resources remain flexible and responsive to evolving community needs.

The CoC has prioritized investing other federal, state, and local funding sources to preserve HHAP funding for these long-term priorities and urgent needs. Finally, spending is closely coordinated with efforts of the City and County.

HHAP allocations include:

Approximately 75% flowing directly to clients through community-based service providers.
Approximately 25% for critical functions like staffing, coordination, and evaluation.
$2 million annually dedicated to keeping households housed through prevention efforts.
Support for a robust Homelessness Management and Information System (HMIS) that supports over 1,300 assessors.
Investments in service provider capacity-building.
Meaningful compensation for individuals with lived experience whose insights shape more human-centered services.
Youth-focused rapid rehousing and interim shelter projects.

HHAP Expenditures by Sacramento CoC (Rounds 1-5)

July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2028

* Expenditures are current through March 31, 2025.

HHAP Funding Status and Deadlines for Sacramento CoC

The following provides an overview of funding allocated to the Sacramento CoC in five rounds of HHAP awards (from years 2020 to 2024), including what has been received and spent, as well as the expenditure deadlines for the remaining funds. This information is also aggregated and shared by the state’s Housing and Community Development department.

* Expenditures current through May 5, 2025.

Notes and Descriptions on Expenditures:

Housing Problem-Solving provides flexible, one-time financial assistance to help households prevent or quickly exit homelessness.
Coordinated Access Navigators (CAN) provide short-term case management and shelter navigation services for people experiencing homelessness. Additionally, they take appointments from 2-1-1 for clients seeking homelessness prevention services.
Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is essential for tracking who is experiencing homelessness, what services they receive, and where gaps exist—helping ensure resources are used effectively. Investing in its administration means better coordination, less duplication, and smarter solutions for our community.
Interim housing and emergency shelters provide immediate, safe places for people to stay while they work toward permanent housing solutions. They are a vital part of the homelessness response system, offering stability, basic needs, and connection to services during moments of crisis.
2-1-1 operates the only publicly accessible access point for homeless services in our community. Anyone experiencing or at risk of homelessness can call 2-1-1 and press 8 to connect with trained service navigators who create individualized resource plans.
Rapid Rehousing (RRH) helps individuals and families quickly exit homelessness by providing short-term rental assistance and supportive services. It’s a cost-effective, proven approach that helps people stabilize in housing while they work toward long-term self-sufficiency.
Partners With Lived Expertise (PWLE) bring vital insight from their own experiences with homelessness, helping shape services that are more effective, equitable, and grounded in real needs. This includes our Youth Action Board, a group of young people with lived experience who play an active role in advising on policies, programs, and funding decisions that impact youth homelessness in our community.
Operating reserves for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) are a critical safety net that ensures stability for tenants when unexpected challenges arise. When a provider couldn’t complete their grant, these reserves allowed 125 people to remain housed without interruption—protecting lives and preventing returns to homelessness.
Problem-Solving Access Points (PSAPs) take appointments from 2-1-1 for clients seeking homelessness prevention services.
Strategic planning is essential for aligning our community’s efforts to reduce homelessness, ensuring resources are targeted where they’ll have the greatest impact. It supports the development of key frameworks like the Regional Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan (RCHAP) and HHAP applications, which guide funding and action across the system.
Workforce development is a key strategy for preventing and ending homelessness by helping people build skills, access training, and connect to stable employment. By investing in job readiness and career pathways, we support long-term self-sufficiency and reduce the risk of future housing instability.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) with be released using the Rapid Rehousing (TAY) funding this summer, for Transitional Age Youth between 18-24 years old.
All expenditures are projected to be fully expended within 3 years.