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DATE: |
December 9, 2025 |
10 |
SUBJECT
Title
AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION PROGRAM ROUND 6 GRANT FUNDING (DISTRICT: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On July 2, 2024, Governor Newsom signed California Assembly Bill (AB) 166 Section 13, authorizing $760 million to counties, large cities, and Continuums of Care (CoC) through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 6 (HHAP-6) Grant Program. HHAP is a block grant program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), designed to support regional coordination by providing local jurisdictions with flexible funding to continue efforts to reduce and prevent homelessness. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Department of Housing and Community Development Services, Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) was previously awarded HHAP Rounds 1 through 5 funding.
The HHAP-6 grant application was submitted on August 29, 2025, through a collaborative effort with the City of San Diego and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH), which is San Diego County’s local CoC. The application also serves as the required Regionally Coordinated Action Plan to End Homelessness. Today’s action requests the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) to authorize the acceptance of HHAP-6 grant program funds, and execution of all necessary documents to implement the HHAP-6 grant program funds. This funding will continue the Housing Our Youth program and add funding for emergency and permanent housing options. In addition, the HHAP-6 grant program funds will cover the County’s administrative costs and data reporting through the Homeless Management Information Systems.
Today’s item supports the County vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically for those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically left behind, as well as our ongoing commitment to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe, and thriving communities. This item also supports the County Framework for Ending Homelessness and Housing for All initiative, by ensuring our most vulnerable community members have access to housing, care coordination, and connections to healthcare and housing opportunities.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Authorize the acceptance of $12.1 million in grant funds from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program Round 6 (HHAP-6) for the period of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 through FY 2028-29 for services to people experiencing homelessness.
2. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute agreements, certification forms, and all necessary documents for the acceptance, regulatory processing, and implementation of HHAP-6 grant funding, and take any other actions necessary as required by HCD.
3. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute subrecipient grant agreements, and all necessary documents, and take any other actions necessary to transfer up to one percent of the County of San Diego’s (County) total allocation of HHAP-6 funding to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness for utilization of Homeless Management Information System, and to amend the subrecipient grant agreements as necessary.
4. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to apply for future funding opportunities related to addressing homelessness throughout the region in the current and future fiscal years, as they will provide overall value to the County by advancing efforts to reduce the number of people in the County who are at-risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing the needs of people at-risk of or experiencing homelessness in the region. The County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Housing and Community Development Services, Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) ensures equity among all San Diegans by reducing disparities within homelessness services in the region. OHS is dedicated to addressing the root causes of homelessness and providing equitable access to preventative and supportive services for vulnerable residents.
In January 2025, the We All Count Point-in-Time Count (PITC) of persons experiencing homelessness, identified 9,905 individuals living on the streets or in San Diego County shelters on one night. Of this number, 5,714 individuals were reportedly unsheltered. Of the unsheltered, approximately 1% are families, 7% are veterans, 7% are youth (ages 18-24), and 46% are experiencing chronic homelessness. The 2025 PITC shows an overall reduction in veteran homelessness of 26%, a reduction in family homelessness of 19%, and a reduction in youth homelessness of 20% as compared to the prior year. The region saw an overall 7% decrease in overall homelessness from 2024 to 2025.
To maximize existing and future regional work on homelessness and to create a unified strategic approach to support the coordination of homeless services and funding, the Board adopted the County Framework for Ending Homelessness (Framework). The Framework encompasses the County’s ongoing work and provides a vision to support forward, collaborative, and impactful progress. Efforts are geared toward ensuring people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County have access to critical emergency housing options and supportive services. Ensuring racial and social equity in all aspects of homelessness prevention and response is one of the key principles that guides the Framework and all items under its strategic domains. It is anticipated that Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 6 grant program funding will provide needed housing and supports to individuals countywide, including youth and those who are disproportionately represented in the homeless system, including justice-involved individuals and individuals with a range of health and social needs, as well as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s proposed action supports the County of San Diego Sustainability Goal #1 to engage the community; Sustainability Goal #2 to provide just and equitable access; and Sustainability Goal #4 to protect health and well-being. The recommended actions will provide just and equitable access to housing and support countywide, including to youth and those who are disproportionately represented in the homeless system, or have a range of health and social needs, or who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color. These actions also align with the goal to protect health and well-being, which will be accomplished by ensuring the most vulnerable community members have access to housing and connections to healthcare and workforce opportunities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are not included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-27 Operational Plan for the Health and Human Services Agency. If approved, this request will result in no cost and revenue for FY 2025-26 and estimated costs and revenue of $8.0 million in FY 2026-27, estimated costs and revenue of $4.1 million in FY 2027-28 and FY 2028-29 for a total of $12.1 million from FY 2025-26 through FY 2028-29. The funding source is the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 6 grant. Funds for subsequent years will be incorporated into future operational plans, pending successful grant funding award. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
On July 2, 2024, Governor Newsom signed California Assembly Bill (AB) 166 Section 13, authorizing $760 million to counties, large cities, and Continuums of Care (CoC) through the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 6 (HHAP-6) Grant Program. HHAP is a block grant program administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), designed to support regional coordination by providing local jurisdictions with flexible funding to continue efforts to reduce and prevent homelessness. Since 2020, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) has authorized acceptance of multiple rounds of this grant. These include:
• HHAP Round 1: Accepted $9,996,652 on February 11, 2020 (8)
• HHAP Round 2: Accepted $4,569,898 on June 8, 2021 (6)
• HHAP Round 3: Accepted $12,795,714 on May 24, 2022 (7)
• HHAP Round 4: Accepted $10,509,776, on December 13, 2022 (8)
• HHAP Round 5: Accepted $14,160,463 on December 10, 2024 (13)
Rounds 1 and 2 have been fully expended and are closed out. Rounds 3, 4, and 5 are currently 100% obligated into multi-year and multi-program contracts to ensure their full expenditure by the funding deadlines. All three rounds are on track to be fully expended by their respective deadlines. Additional details for each round can be found in Attachment A.
As required by the State of California for HHAP-6, the County of San Diego (County) submitted a joint application with the City of San Diego (City) and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH), which is San Diego County’s local Continuum of Care (CoC). As part of the application process, the County is also required to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the City and RTFH to work together in addressing homelessness. The MOA and the joint application serve as the required Regionally Coordinated Action Plan to End Homelessness. Combined allocations for the County, City, and RTFH total $50.8 million. Of this, the City will receive $25.8 million, RTFH will receive $12.9 million, and the County will receive $12.1 million. Funding allocations were determined by HCD, and each entity will administer their own funding.
The County Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Housing and Community Development Services, Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS), in partnership with HCD, plans to use HHAP-6 grant funds to support youth through the Housing Our Youth program and provide emergency housing for those in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County as well as permanent housing rental subsidies coupled with housing stability services. Additional funding will be allocated for administrative costs and to support the Homeless Management Information System. The County’s proposed distribution of the allocated $12.1M is outlined below:
Emergency Housing Solutions ($6.9M)
HHAP-6 includes funding for the County emergency housing program called Regional Homeless Assistance Program (RHAP) that leverages local hotels/motels as emergency shelters. This program serves individuals and families that are experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated communities with shelter, case management, supportive services and housing navigation to permanent housing solutions. In current capacity, RHAP serves up to 250 households on any given night. Since 2020, RHAP has served over 2,500 individuals with 40% exiting to permanent housing.
Permanent Housing Solutions ($3.4M)
HHAP-6 funding includes an allocation of funding toward time-limited housing subsidies. These programs provide up to 24 months of rental assistance subsidies for people experiencing homelessness. This rental assistance program provides a pathway to permanent housing solutions for individuals and families in the unincorporated areas of the county. An example of these subsidies is with the Local Rental Subsidy Program that operates in partnership with OHS and the County Housing Authority. The HHAP-6 grant program funding includes a statutory requirement for each applicant to spend at least 10% of the awarded funding to address youth homelessness. In alignment with this requirement, the County will fund time-limited, permanent housing subsidies for youth, ages 18-24, across the region.
Permanent Housing Services and Service Coordination ($800K)
A key metric that the State tracks for HHAP funding includes returns to homelessness within six months of permanent housing. To align with the State guidelines, these funds will provide stability case management services for those housed through permanent housing subsidies. Ensuring that individuals and families that are housed with subsidy programs have access to ongoing case management that addresses economic empowerment, workforce development, connection with community-based services, self-sufficiency benefits, food resources, and support to ensure that these households do not return to homelessness after obtaining permanent housing. One example of these types of programs includes the Housing Stability Case Management Program which is coupled with County Local Rental Subsidy Program to provide housing stabilization supports to program participants.
Administration and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Support and other administrative costs ($121K for HMIS and $850K for administrative costs)
A portion of the HHAP-6 grant funds will cover County’s administrative costs and support licensing fees, State required reporting, and other data reporting through the HMIS. The HHAP-6 grant allows the County administrative costs of up to seven percent ($850K) and one percent ($121K) for HMIS support.
Today’s action requests the Board to authorize the acceptance of HHAP-6 grant program funds, and authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to execute agreements, certification forms, and all necessary documents to implement the HHAP-6 grant program funds.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action supports the County of San Diego 2024-2029 Strategic Plan Initiatives of Sustainability (Resiliency), Equity (Housing & Economic Opportunity), and Community (Quality of Life) by sustaining initiatives that reduce and eliminate poverty and increase availability of programs and resources for individuals at-risk of or experiencing homelessness through increased availability of programs and resources. This item also supports the County Framework for Ending Homelessness and Housing for All initiative, by ensuring our most vulnerable community members have access to housing, care coordination, and connections to healthcare and housing opportunities.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Award Status