The county could start piloting a homelessness prevention program focused on providing resources to individuals and families most at-risk of losing their housing if approved by the OC Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Jan 9.
Second District Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento proposes allocating $1.5 million from his discretionary funds to kickstart the program. His office is also asking the board to redirect an additional $1.5 million of unused funds from the Office of Care Coordination toward the pilot program.
With $3 million in total, the county would be able to serve about 200 individuals and families who are at-risk of becoming homeless, his office said.
The program would keep people “on the brink of homelessness housed in a cost effective way by providing wrap around services along with direct payments,” Sarmiento said.
“This pilot program represents a crucial step toward addressing homelessness with an economically viable solution,” he said, “effectively lowering expenses for taxpayers while alleviating the emotional burden on our most vulnerable residents.”
Yasi Goebel, Sarmiento’s chief of staff, said the county has spent about $700 million addressing the homelessness crisis since 2017, however, very little of those funds have gone toward preventative measures. Any prevention efforts have been focused in areas of treatment and services for mental and physical health, Goebel said.
This program would involve short-term financial support, no more than a year, provided to individuals and families who are at risk of losing their home or are struggling with securing a place to live. It could mean help with rent, past due utility bills, vehicle repairs and insurance payments.
“The point is to stabilize their housing, not just help them not get evicted that month. We are going to provide a number of ancillary programs, such as a financial literacy course, robust case management, and tap into the many CalAIM benefits,” Goebel said. CalAIM is the…
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