Item 53 - Approve Local Homelessness Action Plan and HHAP3 Application

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Homelessness is a national issue that cannot be effectively addressed locally without collaboration and partnerships across the region, including all cities and the County. While addressing homelessness in Santa Ana, staff look at ways to partner, collaborate, and align goals and strategies with federal, state, and local policies, priorities, and actions. As one of the 13 Big Cities in California, Santa Ana receives a direct allocation from the State of California along with the County of Orange and the City of Anaheim. City of Santa Ana staff have worked closely with both the City of Anaheim and the County of Orange for many years. Coordination on funding opportunities, services and programs is on -going. While each entity is responsible for their own jurisdictions, it is agreed that a regional approach to homelessness in delivering services, housing and programs is necessary. In preparation of the HHAP3 application, these entities met to discuss community goals and to conceptualize priorities. Later in the HHAP3 application process, Cal Optima joined as a new partner. Cal Optima is looking at a new stream of funding to be used partially for street medicine. The street medicine program would provide preventative primary and urgent care on the streets. Santa Ana is eagerly awaiting to have Cal Optima work alongside our street outreach and engagement team. The City is also interested in partnering with Cal Optima for needed services related to Special Purpose Housing Vouchers. Non-profit homeless service organizations are often times funded by multiple cities. Each of these non-profit organizations are tied to the Coordinated Entry System (CES); and are required to participate in the Homeless Information Management System (HMIS.) City of Santa Ana staff serve on the Board of the Continuum of Care (CoC) and participate in a number of regional meetings, which include the Central Service Planning Area (SPA), the Homeless Provider Forum, and Commission to End Homelessness and United to End Homelessness. Meetings are usually well -attended by stakeholders, including homeless service providers, community and faith -based organizations, public health and healthcare providers, employment organizations, advocate groups and homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Santa Ana staff participate in Housing Placement Match meetings that allow housing providers to share housing opportunities for homeless households who are eligible based on an assessment and the community prioritization plan. County meetings are facilitated by 2-1-1 Orange County and staff in attendance include those referral agencies who have assessed an applicant. In addition, the City of Santa Ana holds its own match meetings with the County to ensure that Santa Ana homeless residents are working on documents to be eligible for all housing opportunities. The Santa Ana Housing Authority coordinates directly with the CoC's and Coordinated Entry System (CES). Specifically, our Housing Authority has awarded 135 project -based vouchers that have been tied to CES in which the service provider is required to refer families from the CES list for each project -based voucher unit. In addition, the Santa Ana Housing Authority has received 231 Mainstream Program vouchers that were administered for individuals on the CES list and 46 Foster Youth to Independence