HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS
IN PALO ALTO
Study Session
Presenters:
Chantal Cotton Gaines, Deputy City Manager
Melissa McDonough, Assistant to the City Manager
Chief Andrew Binder, Palo Alto Police Department
Hilary Armstrong, Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
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FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
1. Current Efforts on Unhoused Services Coordination in Palo Alto
2. Response and Enforcement: Current Efforts Related to Conduct and Law Changes
3. Engagement Next Steps and Implementation Plan
4. Discussion
• Homelessness prevention programs and housing production • Homelessness support services
• Enforcement efforts related to health and safety
OVERVIEW
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FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Receive:
1. An update on actions taken regarding unhoused services coordination in Palo Alto including discussion and feedback on the Gap Analysis Report.
2. An overview of local enforcement efforts and changes in state and federal law.
3. An overview of the suggested community engagement next steps related to the development of an Implementation Plan Addressing Homelessness in Palo Alto, including:
• Consideration of an assignment to the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to discuss and review the Gap Analysis Report.
• Engagement and outreach to develop an Implementation Plan to Address Homelessness in Palo Alto for Council consideration and approval.
RECOMMENDATION
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FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Discuss:
4. The information shared and have an initial conversation about 3 broad topics:
• Homelessness prevention programs and housing production • Homelessness support services
• Enforcement efforts related to health and safety
Advance the engagement efforts described and, if desired, refer follow-up discussions to Policy and Service Committee
RECOMMENDATION, cont.
STATUS UPDATE
Unhoused Services Coordination in Palo Alto
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
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www.cityofpaloalto.org
KEY CONTEXT | UNHOUSED DEMOGRAPHICS
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
From the 2023 PIT count, people experiencing homelessness in Palo Alto differ from those countywide in two significant ways:
PALO ALTO COUNTYWIDE
91% unsheltered 75% unsheltered
88% living in a vehicle 32% living in a vehicle
Source:
Understanding the Unhoused Community in Palo Alto,
report accompanying the 2024 Gap Analysis. Link below.
SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING SYSTEM
AND
HOMELESSNESS IN PALO ALTO
Presented by County of Santa Clara
Office of Supportive Housing
Palo Alto City Council
February 10, 2025
2020- 2025 COMMUNITY PLAN
9 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness
17,483
2,517
Goal: Housing 20,000 People
by 2025
PROGRESS ON COMMUNITY PLAN GOALS
87 Percent to Countywide Goal of Housing 20,000 People by the End of 2025 10 87% to
Goal
Housing
Placements
from Jan.
2020 to Dec.
30, 2024
3,321
4,098
4,744
Goal: Reduction of Baseline
Inflow by 30%
Inflow over the Past One Year
(Jan. 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, 2024)
Baseline: Inflow of Individuals
in 2019
Goal: Achieve a 30% Reduction in Annual
Inflow of People Becoming Homeless
(Inflow = Number of Households Completing Their First Assessment)
HOUSING PLACEMENTS AND INFLOW INTO HOMELESSNESS
Countywide & Palo Alto: Calendar Year 2024
11 211
176
237
213 206
270
167
150 149
210
134 132
393
322
354 341
371
331
369
309
344
400
266
291
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Housing Placements (Household)
Inflow: PSH Score Range
Inflow: RRH Score Range
Inflow: Minimal Intervention
65 127
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
Housing Placements Inflow
Palo Alto Households Calendar
Year 2024
PSH = Permanent Supportive Housing | RRH = Rapid Rehousing Santa Clara
County
Supportive
Housing System
12 HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SYSTEM
13 TEMPORARY HOUSING
14 14
PERMANENT HOUSING
78% of households remained
housed 2 years later
96% of household remained
housed for first year
15 15
www.cityofpaloalto.org
Work over the years
PALO ALTO RECENT PROGRESS
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
2020
Interim safe
parking
ordinance
2021
County Plan
endorsed
2022
Homekey
award
Wilton Court
opened
2023
Outreach
worker pilot
Renter
protections
expanded
Permanent
safe parking
ordinance
Affordable
housing
resource fair
OWL pilot
SPD fully
staffed
2024
Housing
Element
certification
RV safe
parking
expanded
Rental registry
launched
Gap Analysis
completed
OWL launched
www.cityofpaloalto.org
KEY CONTEXT | HOUSING
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Source: Palo Alto Gap Analysis Report, Updated January 2025 TITLE 40 FONT BOLD
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Table 1: Palo Alto Unhoused Assessed to Need Rapid Rehousing or Permanent Supportive Housing vs.
Forthcoming Units
Service Needs Rapid Rehousing Permanent Supportive Housing Forthcoming (entitled) Units 32 0
Palo Alto Unhoused Residents
Assessed to Need Various Services
115 120
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www.cityofpaloalto.org
KEY CONTEXT | HOUSING (continued)
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
Source: Palo Alto Gap Analysis Report, Updated January 2025 Table 2: Currently Entitled and Proposed Housing Units (not inclusive of Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive Housing Units) Compared to Cost Burdened Renters Income Level
Extremely Low
Income
Very Low
Income Low Income Median Income
Above Median
Income
Entitled Units 46 96 49 60 331
Proposed Units
(not yet
entitled)
3 22 408 51 1,973
Cost-Burdened
Renters
1,460 865 915 550 635
GAP ANALYSIS | KEY CONSIDERATIONS
• Addressing the need for non-congregate shelter in Palo Alto by using hotel voucher programs or converting hotels into shelters.
• Contributing funds to the County’s Homelessness Prevention System as well as increasing awareness of its resources to stem the inflow of new people into homelessness.
• Increase affordable housing production by pursuing additional new funding sources for affordable housing and considering additional programs to require and/or incentivize affordable housing.
• Increasing alignment and efficiencies, adding staff to increase ability to advance priorities, identify and utilize new funding opportunities, and pursue goals tailored to community needs by establishing a housing stability team.
RESPONSE & ENFORCEMENT
Current Efforts
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
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Police Response to Calls for Service
Enforcement of State and Local Laws
Connecting, Collaborating, & Co-Response
RESPONSE & ENFORCEMENT
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
www.cityofpaloalto.org
Grant’s Pass v. Johnson
Governor's Executive Order
CARE Court initiated in Santa Clara County
NEW IN 2024 – Grant’s Pass, Executive Order, CARE Court FEBRUARY 10, 2025
ENGAGEMENT
Inclusive Engagement and Implementation Plan
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
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We’ve learned that effective strategies addressing homelessness include comprehensive engagement to provide guidance for City Council decision-making.
The engagement effort would include:
• Intentional conversations from stakeholders with different experiences related to homelessness
• Information sharing about the efforts the City already does within resources • Gathering ideas on how we can continue to move the needle and potential partnerships
• On a parallel track, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) could leaddiscussions on the Gap Analysis Report and community feedback.
ENGAGEMENT PLAN
FEBRUARY 10, 2025
DISCUSSION
Homelessness Prevention Programs, Housing Production,
Homelessness Support Services and Enforcement Efforts
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
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FEBRUARY 10, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org
Discuss the information shared and have an initial conversation about:
• Homelessness prevention programs
• Housing production
• Homelessness support services
• Enforcement efforts related to health and safety
Advance the engagement efforts described and, if desired, refer follow-up discussions to Policy and Service Committee
DISCUSSION
Melissa McDonough
Assistant to the City Manager
[email protected]
650-329-2533