Emergency Shelter Crisis
Declaration for Council Consideration
MARCH 10, 2026
1 Background
2 • City of Fremont last declared an emergency shelter crisis in September 2018 • The previous declaration expired in September 2024
• Other jurisdictions have declared a shelter crisis, including the State, County, Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley and San Jose
• Per the 2024 Point in Time Count, Fremont is estimated to have more than 800 individuals living without housing in Fremont, and 75% of those are living in unsheltered conditions
How will the City use this Shelter Declaration
Crisis?
3 • Streamline approval for emergency housing
o Bypass planning and zoning review processes and standards o Apply alternative building codes
What are the benefits of declaring a crisis
now?
4 • Assist our partners at Cardea Health and Abode Services keep their project viable and maintain their Measure W funding
• Rapidly open 150 new shelter units in the region, doubling Fremont’s current shelter inventory
• Make Fremont an attractive destination for future Measure W investments and projects
• Better align with regional partners in approach to current unmet shelter needs
Proposed Duration
5 • Staff proposes to align this proposed City of Fremont shelter declaration crisis with the State of California’s (ending January 1, 2036)
• The declaration includes a proposed review and status update come before the Council every two years. This review and status update could be conducted more frequently desired by the Council.
• The proposed shelter declaration could be ended at any time by a vote of the Council.
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution declaring a shelter crisis and adopting minimum local building and life safety standards for temporary facilities and new public facilities used to provide emergency housing.
Find that the adoption of the proposed resolution and emergency declaration is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
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