Item 53 - Approve Local Homelessness Action Plan and HHAP3 Application

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For this reason, the City places a great deal of energy around the implementation of housing programs. Santa Ana participated in the discussions which ultimately led to the Association of California Cities — Orange County (ACC-OC) taking the lead at coordinating a regional approach to homelessness. They lobbied the state legislature in April of 2018 for a regional housing body to help fund 2,700 permanent supportive housing units for homeless people. As a result, the Orange County Housing Finance Trust (OCHFT) was formed in 2019 as a joint powers authority between the County of Orange and the cities throughout the County. The OCHFT was created for the purpose of funding housing specifically for the homeless population and families of extremely low, very low, and low incomes within the County of Orange. The Orange County Housing Finance Trust, County, and Cities share a common goal of creating 2,700 permanent supportive housing units by June 30, 2025. The housing trust speaks to the collaboration throughout the County of Orange. To date, 684 units have been completed, 961 units are in the process of funding and 992 units are under construction County -wide. The City of Santa Ana alone has either completed or is in the process of completing 434 of these units. A description of how the City will make progress in preventing exits to homelessness from institutional settings, including plans to leverage funding from mainstream systems for evidence - based housing and housing -based solutions to homelessness. Note: Such mainstream systems could include: • Physical and behavioral health care systems and managed care plan organizations • Public health system • Criminal legal system and system for supporting re-entry from incarceration • Affordable housing funders and providers • Income support programs • Education system • Workforce and employment systems • Other social services and human services systems • Child welfare systems OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT The City's new seven day a week Pilot Program, Santa Ana Multi -Disciplinary Homeless Response Team (SMART) provides a team of specially trained staff to respond to and engage with individuals experiencing homelessness in the City. This program, contracted by the City with a non-profit organization, is changing the landscape of services on the streets of Santa Ana. Developing and retaining current partnerships will assist in creating procedures that may prevent exits to homelessness from institutional settings. One particular area to 0