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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Oakland and Alameda County (Calif.) will receive grants and vouchers to address homelessness among people in unsheltered settings and in rural communities. The national award total is nearly $315 million in grants to 46 communities. Oakland and Alameda County Continuum of Care (CoC) received $15,061,753.
“This first-of-its-kind package of grants and vouchers will support proven and effective local strategies to address unsheltered and rural homelessness.” HUD Region IX Regional Administrator Jason Pu said. “In the Bay Area, I am encouraged by the partnership and collaboration of Oakland and Alameda County Continuum of Care (CoC) among continuum agencies and with state and federal partners. This $15 million award to the Oakland and Alameda County CoC will support a range of permanent supportive housing options, new models of intensive case management services in partnership with health care providers, and rapid rehousing and crisis-response approaches for the most vulnerable in the community.”
In the coming weeks, HUD expects to award a second set of grants to additional communities, as well as allocate $43 million to fund Stability Vouchers to awarded communities. Together, these grants and vouchers comprise a first-of-its-kind package of resources to help communities provide housing and supportive services to people in unsheltered settings and people experiencing homelessness in rural areas. Communities were also asked to develop a comprehensive approach to addressing unsheltered and rural homelessness that involves coordination with health care providers, other housing agencies such as public housing authorities, and people with lived experience.
“Homelessness is a crisis, and it is solvable. Housing with supportive services solves homelessness. That’s why, for the first time, the federal government is deploying targeted resources to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness in unsheltered settings or in rural areas,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “With these grants and vouchers, HUD is filling this gap and giving communities the resources and tools to improve housing and health outcomes for people on the streets, in encampments, under bridges, and in rural areas.”
“I’d like to thank Secretary Fudge and Administrator Pu for their visit to California’s 12th district and for their steadfast commitment to ending the homelessness crisis,” said Representative Barbara Lee. “This grant will aid in combatting homelessness and assisting unsheltered populations safely find housing. Make no mistake: housing is a human right – and it is the collaboration between local government, the federal government, and activists in the community to ensure that promise is realized by everyone. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I stand ready to continue being an active partner in Congress to provide funding for more affordable, accessible housing for communities across the country.”
This funding initiative is also the first in which HUD has coordinated grants and housing vouchers. In response to the competitive special Notice of Funding Opportunity, Continuum of Care collaborative applicants were asked to formally partner with public housing authorities to leverage access to housing resources. Public housing authorities partnering with awarded CoC grantees will receive priority for Housing Choice “Stability” Vouchers that allow people experiencing homelessness to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing.
“I believe in a housing first approach to move our most vulnerable residents into shelter with support services to address people’s unique needs. This HUD grant accelerates our ability to do so with the development of 100 new permanent housing units for individuals with severe service needs including enhanced care to address chronic disease, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders,” said Nate Miley, President of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. “The HUD grant also provides expanded street outreach and housing navigation serving individuals living in encampments and vehicles in five designated geographic zones, and specialized peer ambassadors who will outreach to seniors living in encampments, particularly in West Oakland. Fighting homelessness and the affordable housing crisis is everyone’s fight and we’re glad to have HUD as a partner in this effort.”
From Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to deliver housing relief and to solve homelessness. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided historic levels of homeless assistance –including nearly 70,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers and $5 billion in HOME Investment Partnership homelessness grants. HUD and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched House America, a national initiative in which HUD and USICH partnered with 105 communities led by mayors, county leaders, governors, and tribal nation leaders to place more than 100,000 households from homelessness into permanent housing and add over 40,000 units of affordable housing into the development pipeline. In late December, USICH released All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, which set forth President Biden’s ambitious goal to reduce all homelessness by 25% by 2025.
“Oaklanders are dedicated to compassionately helping to house and support our unhoused residents. We know that strong partnerships are a must for really making progress on this crisis. This support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is critical to our efforts and I want to thank Secretary Fudge and the Biden Administration for standing with local governments,” said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Together, we can help vulnerable residents and make Oakland better for everyone.”
The resources announced today build upon the momentum and renewed political will at all levels of government to solve homelessness through the provision of housing with supportive services. They respond directly to the calls from state and local leaders, advocates, and people with lived experience for more federal assistance to address unsheltered and rural homelessness specifically. And they provide communities with the resources and tools to respond to homeless encampments humanely and effectively and to avoid approaches which criminalize homelessness.
The City of Oakland and Alameda County Continuum of Care will use its $15 million grant to implement a comprehensive approach to transitioning people from unsheltered settings and interim housing to permanent housing, including investments in homeless outreach, short- and long-term rental assistance, case management, and housing navigation.
Read more about HUD’s work to address homelessness.
