As data sharing between sectors becomes more widespread, it is important for homelessness response systems and providers to consider the ramifications of providing data to law enforcement. This brief provides an overview of existing privacy laws that protect people’s personal information, covers the risks of sharing homelessness data with law enforcement, and offers immediate steps that Continuums of Care (CoCs) and service providers can take to strengthen protections for participants.

Communities across the country are resisting the criminalization of homelessness. Evidence shows that criminalization is costly and counterproductive. This memo provides some background and steps communities can take to avoid these harmful policies.

This brief provides an overview of the history of civil commitments and the risks that they pose and offers immediate steps to advocate for individualized and voluntary care for individuals experiencing severe mental illness.

When someone enrolled in Medi-Cal moves to a new county within California and wants their Medi-Cal to continue, they need to ask for an “inter-county transfer.” The transfer process can be especially complicated for people experiencing homelessness. This guide has detailed information about Medi-Cal’s inter-county transfer process.

This material provides guidance on addressing some of the common concerns about adopting beneficial co-sheltering policies for people with companion animals who live in emergency or temporary housing facilities.

These fact sheets show the impact of local laws that criminalize people living outside.

The Partnership Action Lab brought together homelessness systems and public defenders to improve outcomes for people who are experiencing housing instability and charged with and/or convicted of misdemeanors.

The Bridging Boundaries Action Lab brought together parole, probation, and homelessness systems to reduce barriers to housing for people involved with the criminal legal system.

Learn about Homebase, Connecting for Better Help, and Georgetown University's Massive Data Institute's Community of Practice, designed to help California CoCs, Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans, and their partners overcome data sharing challenges.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the changes to Medicaid and SNAP and their expected impact on people experiencing homelessness, and opportunities for homeless systems of care and providers to mitigate those impacts.

This suite of reports offers a deep dive into the impact, challenges, and opportunities made possible by two critical and complementary state initiatives aimed at improving health and housing outcomes of Californians experiencing homelessness: CalAIM’s housing-related services – Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports (collectively referred to in these materials as ECM/CS) –and the Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP).

The research is clear – low wages are directly related to challenges with employee recruitment and retention. There is no single standard for determining adequate wages within an organization or region, but this document includes tools to help determine what an adequate wage may look like in your community.

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) introduced a new policy priority focused on building an effective workforce in the Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). During the awards process, HUD will automatically apply cost of living adjustments to supportive services activities and other staffing-focused budget lines to allow renewal project budgets to keep up with rising costs. This document offers suggestions for how communities and project applicants can leverage this new policy priority to support appropriate staff wages across all CoC-funded projects.

Across the country, organizations serving individuals experiencing homelessness face challenges with recruiting and retaining direct service staff due to low wages. The research is clear – low wages are directly related to challenges with employee recruitment and retention. This resource offers steps organizations and funders can take to improve wages and support front-line workers.

On 6.28.24, the Supreme Court released their decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson. They ruled that it isn’t “cruel and unusual punishment” for governments to pass or enforce laws that criminalize sleeping or camping on public property. While this decision overturns Martin v. Boise, it doesn’t require governments to enforce or create laws making sleeping outside or camping a crime. This guide offers resources and steps communities can take to protect people experiencing homelessness and continue to work towards better housing outcomes for residents.

On 7.25.24, the California Governor issued Executive Order N-1-24. The Order directs State departments and agencies under his authority to adopt policies consistent with the California Department of Transportation’s (CalTrans) encampment policy. The Order follows the Supreme Court’s decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which held that bans prohibiting camping and sleeping in public areas may be enforced. This guide covers what Californians should know about the Order and ideas for how to respond.

This crosswalk compares key requirements of the HOME-ARP Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) activity with Continuum of Care Program (CoC) Rapid Rehousing projects (RRH).

This resource provides an overview of State of California and Federal Community Supervision Guidelines.

Discharge planning aims to connect individuals exiting jail or prison with community resources to facilitate healing, recovery, housing stability, and an overall improved quality of life. Effective discharge planning can prevent recidivism and homelessness while also promoting public safety. This document spotlights key considerations and common challenges related to discharge planning and provides promising practice tips for effective discharge planning for individuals exiting carceral settings who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.

This resource outlines where PHAs have discretion to provide HCVs to people with criminal records and how to prepare for the HCV application process.