Homelessness., the official text

An act to amend Section 8266 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to homelessness.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law requires the Governor to create a California Interagency Council on Homelessness for specified purposes, including to create partnerships among various entities, like participants in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program, and to identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California.
Existing law requires the council to set and measure progress toward goals to prevent and end homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women in California, as specified. The bill would require initial goals to be established by January 1, 2025, and those goals to be evaluated at least every 2 years to determine whether updated goals are needed.
This bill would instead require the council to evaluate the above-described goals at least every year.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 8266 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:
8266.
(a) The California Interagency Council on Homelessness shall set and measure progress toward goals to prevent and end homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women in California by doing all of the following:
(1) Setting specific, measurable goals aimed at preventing and ending homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women in the state. These goals shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A) Measurably decreasing the number of domestic violence survivors and their children and of unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness in the state.
(B) Decreasing the duration and frequency of experiences of homelessness among domestic violence survivors and their children and among unaccompanied women.
(C) Decreasing barriers to services through promoting cross-systems partnerships to expedite access to services, including social services, domestic violence services, regional center services, housing services, and mental health services.
(2) Defining outcome measures and gathering data related to the goals.
(3) (A) When funding is available, providing technical assistance to cities, counties, and continuums of care to support the development of local programs and plans that address the needs of domestic violence survivors and their children and of unaccompanied women.
(B) In addition to subparagraph (A), working with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide technical assistance to cities, counties, and continuums of care in furtherance of this section.
(b) The California Interagency Council on Homelessness shall establish initial goals, as described in subdivision (a), by January 1, 2025, and evaluate these goals at least every year to determine whether updated goals are needed.