Agreement Reached to Pass $2 Billion “No Place Like Home” Legislation to Help Homeless

Housing:

• $2 billion bond to construct permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless persons with mental illness.

• $200 million, over 4 years, to provide supportive housing in the shorter-term, rent subsidies, while the permanent housing is constructed or rehabilitated.

• Support for two special housing programs that will assist families:

The “Bringing Families Home” pilot project, a county matching grant program to reduce homelessness among families that are part of the child welfare system.

The CalWORKs Housing Support Program, which provides housing and support services for CalWORKs families in danger of homelessness.  

Income support and outreach:

• An increase in Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) program grants which provide income support for the aged, blind, and disabled poor who cannot work.

Rates of homelessness are higher for persons with disabilities who cannot work; SSI/SSP is intended to help them make ends meet, and a large portion of grants usually goes toward rent.

These increases will assist about 1.3 million low-income Californians (72% with disabilities and 28% who are elderly).

• A one-time investment to incentivize local governments to boost outreach efforts and advocacy to get more eligible poor people enrolled in the SSI/SSP program.

The federal government covers 72% of the total costs of the SSI/SSP program, so state and local benefits are multiplied significantly for each newly eligible recipient.

California has more than one third of the nation’s chronically homeless – those with mental illness or other significant problems, and an even higher percentage among homeless women. Of the 28,200 chronically homeless in California, nearly 85 percent are unsheltered with this group absorbing the greatest amount of taxpayers’ resources, often toping $100,000 annually per person in public costs for emergency room visits, hospital stays, law enforcement, and other social services.

The Senate proposal supports a “housing first” strategy which many homeless advocates and social service experts  across the state prefer because it provides safe, secure housing creates an environment that allows for wrap-around services, such as mental health treatment, to take hold. Studies show homelessness aggravates mental illness, making it more difficult to reach and house those with the greatest need of shelter and treatment.

There are local programs, such as Project 25 in San Diego, which are successfully housing, treating, and transitioning chronically homeless clients back into society. Project 25 is a 3-year-pilot program funded by the United Way of San Diego and led by St. Vincent de Paul which uses the housing first model as a means of intensive case management and delivery of psychiatric and medical care to several dozen clients. Project 25 is paying dividends for the taxpayers. In two years the annual public costs related to participants of Project 25 were reduced nearly 63 percent, to $1.6 million from $4.3 million.

Source: http://sd24.senate.ca.gov/news/2016-06-27-statement-senate-pro-tem-and-assembly-republican-leader-reach-agreement-pass-%E2%80%9Cno