COMMUNITY PLAN
2020-2025
END HOMELESSNESS
UPDATE
TO
Palo Alto City Council
April 20, 2026
AGENDA
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 ● Progress from the 2020-2025
Community Plan to End
Homelessness
● Palo Alto Households Data
● Developing the Next 5-Year
Community Plan to End
Homelessness
● Next Steps
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
ABOUT THE
CONTINUUM OF
CARE
• Broad group of stakeholders
dedicated to ending and
preventing homelessness
• Ensure a community-wide
implementation of efforts &
programmatic and systemic
effectiveness
• County of Santa Clara serves
as the lead agency
COMMUNITY
PLAN TO END
HOMELESSNESS
GOVERNMENT
NONPROFIT
PHILANTHROPY
PRIVATE
SECTOR
COMMUNITY
LIVED
EXPERIENCE
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Collective Impact
Continuum of
Care
Destination:
Home
County of
Santa Clara Cities
Lived
Experience
Groups
Housing
Authority Private Sector Service
Providers
Neighborhood
Leaders and
Community
Members
Affordable
Housing
Developers
Philanthropy Other Public
Agencies
…and many more!
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
Progress from the
2020-2025
Community Plan to
End Homelessness
SANTA CLARA COUNTY COMMUNITY PLAN
TO END HOMELESSNESS
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
20,830
People Housed
2025 GOAL:
20,000 People
Housed
2020-2025
COMMUNITY PLAN
PROGRESS
GOAL ACHIEVED!
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
2020-2025
COMMUNITY PLAN
PROGRESS
2025 GOAL:
20,000 People
Housed
GOAL ACHIEVED!
Temporary Housing & Shelter
Capacity Increased by 82%
27,037 people placed in
temporary housing or
shelter between 2020 and
2025
1,882
2,639
2,227 2,158
2,717 2,765
3,420
0 500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Temporary Housing and
Shelter Capacity (units)
Homelessness Prevention Capacity
2,693 households
75% since Jan. 1, 2020 2025 GOAL: 2,500 households
38,060 People Received
Homelessness Prevention Assistance
GOAL ACHIEVED!
93% of families
remained stably
housed while
receiving services.
Only 5% of
households became
homeless.
ONE YEAR LATER
19% Decrease in New Households
Becoming Homeless since 2019
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
2020-2025 Community Plan
Progress
Palo Alto
Households
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 2020-2025
Community
Plan Progress:
Palo Alto
Households
People Housed
People Placed in Temporary
Housing and Shelter
People Received
Homelessness Prevention
Assistance
665
1,702
425
Across 425 households, ~3% of total
Across 1,215 households, ~6% of total
Across 306 households, ~1% of total
In 2025, for every 1 household
housed, another 2.2 became
homeless.
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026
HOW ARE
PEOPLE FROM
PALO ALTO
BENEFITING
FROM SERVICES?
Palo Alto-Affiliated means:
• Address in Palo Alto
• Lived in Palo Alto prior to becoming
homeless
• Works in Palo Alto
• Kids go to school in Palo Alto
• Spend most of time in Palo Alto
Program-Type
Total
Households
Served
Palo Alto-
Affiliated
Households
Permanent Supportive
Housing 4,556 219
Rapid Rehousing 1,679 74
Emergency Shelter 5,102 272
Transitional Housing 529 16
Street Outreach 5,194 187
Safe Parking 550 72
Homelessness Prevention 3,121 29
Housing Problem Solving 4,530 203
Services Only 8,944 563
Table 1: Palo Alto-Affiliated Households Receiving Supportive Housing System Services in 2025
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Estimated Housing Investments For Palo Alto
Households in 2025
Program Type Estimated Annual Cost
Per Household
Households Affiliated
with Palo Alto in 2025
Estimated Annual
Funding for
Households Affiliated
with Palo Alto
Permanent Supportive
Housing $37,380 219 $8,186,220
Rapid Rehousing $29,250 74 $2,164,500
Homelessness
Prevention $15,500 29 $449,500
Total $10,800,220
*Note: Palo Alto-affiliated households also receive funding to support their housing stability through the Housing Problem Solving program.
Total: $68.4 million FY 25-26: ~$975,000 FY 25-26: $488,987 Additional Partnerships in Palo Alto
The City and County have partnered on the
development of multiple affordable housing
developments, including 3001 El Camino,
Mitchell Park Place, Wilton Court, and
The Acacia.
The County funds Safe Parking services in
Palo Alto at both the Geng Road site and
congregational lots.
The County is also contributing $4 million to
support Homekey Palo Alto.
Supportive
Housing Services
and Basic Needs
The County funds several programs at the
Opportunity Center in Palo Alto, including
basic needs services at the drop-in center
and supportive services for residents as part
of the scattered site permanent supportive
housing program.
Affordable
Housing
Development
Temporary
Housing &
Shelter
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
Developing the
Next 5-Year
Community Plan to
End Homelessness
SANTA CLARA COUNTY COMMUNITY PLAN
TO END HOMELESSNESS
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 2025-2030 Community Plan Timeline
Onboarding of Steering
Committee
Qualitative & Quantitative
Analysis
Spring 2025
Qualitative Data Collection
Steering Committee drafts
Sub-Strategies & Tasks
Engagement with Cities
Summer 2025
Continued engagement with
Cities
Convene lived experience
work group
Fall 2025
Engagement with Cities on
Draft Plan
Steering Committee finalizes
Draft Plan
Winter 2025–2026
Community Input on Draft
Plan
Begin Drafting Sub-Regional
Plans
Finalize Plan based on
Community Input
Spring 2026
CoC Board adopts Plan
Endorsement from
Jurisdictions
Year 1 Implementation Begins
Summer - Fall 2026
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
1. Prevent People From Becoming Homeless
Focus: Prevention
2. Continue to House People and Support Them in Retaining their Housing
Focus: Housing through programs (shelter to permanent)
3. Strengthen Access to Care and Services for People
Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness.
Focus: Unsheltered individuals
4. Center and Invest in People with Lived Experience to Lead and Transform the Homeless System
Focus: Lived experience lead throughout the system
Key Focus Areas
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Next Steps
Community
Input
Review of full
draft plan
Coordinate
feedback from
City leaders,
lived experience
& constituents
Finalize Plan &
Develop Sub-
Regional City
Plans
Finalize plan
based on
Community
Input
Develop action
steps and
metrics based
on regional
needs
Ensure
alignment with
existing City
Plans &
Strategies
Plan Adoption
& Endorsement
by County and
Cities
CoC Board
Adoption (June)
Execute process
to obtain BOS
and City Council
endorsement
Plan for
implementation
Mar. – May
2026
Mar. – May
2026
June – Dec.
2026
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
• Description of regional characteristics, priorities, and special populations
• Summary of existing efforts and investments in
homelessness
•
Framework of shared goals, strategies, and priorities
that align with the Plan
•
Compilation of links to cities' own homelessness
plans (where applicable)
Sub-Regional Plans
4 Sub-Regional Groups: North County,
West Valley, South County, San José
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Additional
Input
Opportunities
Draft Plan posted on the
Office of Supportive Housing's
website here.
Four Community Convenings
in North County, West Valley,
South County, and San José
North County Convening:
● Date: Thursday, April 30th, 6-8 pm
● Location: El Palo Alto Room at Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 94303
THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS
1. Are the Focus Areas included in the draft
Plan reflective of the needs and goals of
your community?
2. What would the Council like to see
included as part of their sub-regional plan?
3. How can we work with the Council to help
share this information with the
community?
Questions for Council
to Consider: