MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN
THE ORANGE COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE,
THE COUNTY OF ORANGE,
THE CITY OF ANAHEIM,
THE CITY OF IRVINE,
AND THE CITY OF SANTA ANA
FOR ROUND 6 OF THE HOMELESS HOUSING, ASSISTANCE AND PREVENTION PROGRAM
COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN A REGIONALLY COORDINATED HOMELESSNESS
ACTION PLAN
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is entered into, by and between the County of Orange (County), acting as the Administrative Entity for the County of Orange and the Orange County Continuum of Care (CoC); the City of Anaheim; the City of Irvine; and the City of Santa Ana. The Orange County CoC, County, City of Anaheim, City of Irvine, and City of Santa Ana may be referred to individual ly as “Party” and collectively as “Parties.”
RECITALS
WHEREAS, on February 24, 2025, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced the availability of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Round 6 (HHAP-6) grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the general purpose of HHAP-6 is to create and implement a Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan that organizes and deploys the full array of homelessness programs and resources comprehensively and effectively; and
WHEREAS, the HCD Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) identifies the Orange County CoC, the County, the City of Anaheim, the City of Irvine, and the City of Santa Ana as eligible applicants for the HHAP-6 grant funding. HCD requires eligible applicants to apply jointly as part of a “region”. “Region” is further defined in the NOFA as the geographic area served by the county including all cities and CoCs within it; and WHEREAS, the HHAP-6 grant funding requires the submission of a Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan, amongst other documents, including this MOU; and WHEREAS, by entering into this MOU, the Parties intend to participate in and comply with the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan and commit to uphold, participate in, and comply with the actions, roles, and responsibilities of each Party as described in the HHAP-6 Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan and summarized below;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties mutually agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
The Parties acknowledge and hereby commit to participate and comply with the actions, roles and responsibilities of the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan, which is incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this MOU as Attachment I. The Parties’ agreement and commitments to the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan are summarized below and shall constitute the entire MOU between the Parties.
EXHIBIT 1
1. The roles and responsibilities of each Party within the Orange County Region, as specified in Section 3.a. in Attachment I, for outreach and site coordination, siting and use of available public land, the development of interim and permanent housing options, and coordinating, connecting, and de livering services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness within the Orange County Region are summarized below:
a. Outreach and Site Coordination
i. The Orange County CoC will invest and expand outreach and coordination services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness with the goal of connecting them to emergency shelter, housing, and/or other supportive services.
ii. The County will continue to fund regional care coordination services, which provides targeted street outreach and engagement strategies for individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness and will continue to facilitate discussions on how to best improve coordination amongst the County, cities and community- based organizations to strengthen regional ca pacity and collaboration in the delivery of services.
iii. The City of Anaheim will continue to fund an array of housing solutions to ensure resources are available to serve the needs of unsheltered people, while continuing to fund outreach to promote linkage.
iv. The City of Irvine will provide s outreach and engagement to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness to provide connection to an array of services. v. The City of Santa Ana will continue to provide outreach and engagement services to unsheltered individuals and will exit homeless individuals from the streets by linking persons to shelter and housing within their jurisdiction. b. Land Use and Development
i. The Orange County CoC has no direct role or responsibility as it relates to land use and developme nt; however, the Orange County CoC will continue to work collaboratively to support the Parties in fulfilling their land use and development roles and responsibilities.
ii. The County will continue to identify available land and support development opportunities with the County jurisdiction and support the County’s Housing Funding Strategy, which prioritizes the development of permanent supportive housing and affordable housing for people experiencing or exiting homelessness. iii. The City of Anaheim will continue to identify, acquire, and develop available land and structures in the city including prioritizing opportunities to dedicate units to households experiencing or exiting homelessness while partnering with housing developers.
iv. The City of Irvine will identify city-controlled property that can be made available to promote housing opportunities to meet the needs of vulnerable populations. v. The City of Santa Ana will also continue to identify, acquire, and develop available land and structures in the city includin g prioritizing opportunities to dedicate units to households experiencing or exiting homelessness c. Development of Interim and Permanent Housing Options EXHIBIT 1
i. The Orange County CoC will continue to work collaboratively with the Parties to support them in the development of interim and permanent housing options and invest in services for people experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness that provide interim and permanent housing options.
ii. The County will continue to invest in services for people experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness that provide interim and permanent housing options. iii. The City of Anaheim will continue to prioritize increasing access to permanent affordable and supportive housing in the community, including incorporat ion of funding that would bolster development either through entitlement allocations or grant opportunities that arise. The City of Anaheim will also continue its work with the Anaheim Housing Authority.
iv. The City of Irvine will continue to prioritize expan ding access to affordable and supportive housing in the community by leveraging a variety of funding options, including entitlement allocations, grant opportunities, and other strategic investments to support development.
v. The City of Santa Ana will continu e to prioritize access to permanent affordable and supportive housing in the community through a variety of funding options and investments. The City of Santa Ana will continue to work with the Santa Ana Housing Authority.
d. Coordination of and Connection to Service Delivery
i. The Orange County CoC will continue to strengthen collaboration with Service Providers and stakeholders, including those with lived experience, transitional aged youth, and veterans and emphasize the utilization of the Homeless Management Information System and the expansion of the Coordinated Entry System (CES) to support coordination practices that improve the delivery of services.
ii. The County will continue to invest in services for people experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, including regional street outreach and engagement coordination, homelessness diversion and prevention strategies and programming, interim and permanent housing solutions.
iii. The City of Anaheim will continue to improve and expand on the network of homeless services in the city including evaluating gaps in services and barriers to engagement in existing services.
iv. The City of Irvine will continue to connect individuals experiencing homelessness or those at risk of homelessness to CalAIM services wh ile forming partnerships with providers.
v. The City of Santa Ana will continue to work with service providers that deliver housing navigation services and resources to those who are housing insecure while coordinating and delivering a wide range of services through community partnerships.
e. Addressing Encampments
i. Parties will work to ensure that efforts to address encampments comply with the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) Guidance on Addressing Encampments.
EXHIBIT 1
2. The Parties’ roles and responsibilities for Key Actions, as specified in Section 3.b. in Attachment I, to improve the system performance measures are described below:
a. Number of people experiencing homelessness who are accessing services. i. Parties will invest i n street outreach and engagement strategies, including regional care coordination services and partnerships with specialized outreach teams, with a focus on reducing homelessness for those exiting an institution such as hospitals, jails and prisons.
ii. Parties will invest in permanent housing solutions, such as rapid rehousing programs and affordable housing development that assist people transition from homelessness into permanent housing and homelessness prevention programs. iii. Parties will invest in services coordination activities, including but not limited to programs that provide compensation to people with lived experience of homelessness, programs that support the CES activities, and life skills training programs.
iv. The Orange County CoC and the County will invest in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system. b. Number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a single night. i. Parties will i nvest in street outreach and engagement strategies, including regional care coordination services and partnerships with specialized outreach teams, with a focus on reducing homelessness for those exiting an institution such as hospitals, jails and prisons.
ii. Parties will i nvest in the critical infrastructure of emergency shelters serving individuals, families, transitional aged youth, and survivors of domestic violence and their operations.
iii. The Orange County CoC and the County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
c. Number of people accessing services who are experiencing homelessness for the first time.
i. Parties will invest in services coordination activities, including but not limited to programs that provide compensation to people with lived experience of homelessness, programs that support the CES activities, and life skills training programs.
ii. The Orange County CoC and County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
d. Number of people exiting homelessness into permanent housing. i. Parties will i nvest in permanent housing solutions, such as rapid rehousing programs and affordable housing development that assist people transition from homelessness into permanent housing and homelessness prevention programs. ii. The Orange County CoC and County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastru cture of the homeless service system.
EXHIBIT 1
e. Average length of time that people experienced homelessness while accessing services. i. Parties will i nvest in street outreach and engagement strategies, including regional care coordination services and partnerships wit h specialized outreach teams, with a focus on reducing homelessness for those exiting an institution such as hospitals, jails and prisons.
ii. Parties will invest in permanent housing solutions, such as rapid rehousing programs and affordable housing development that assist people transition from homelessness into permanent housing and homelessness prevention programs. iii. Parties will i nvest in the critical infrastructure of emergency shelters serving individuals, families, transitional aged youth, and su rvivors of domestic violence and their operations.
iv. The Orange County CoC and County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
f. Percent of people who return to homeles sness within six ( 6) months of exiting the homelessness response system to permanent housing.
i. Parties will invest in permanent housing solutions, such as rapid rehousing programs and affordable housing development that assist people transition from homelessness into permanent housing and homelessness prevention programs. ii. Parties will i nvest in the critical infrastructure of emergency shelters serving individuals, families, transitional aged youth, and survivors of domestic violence and their operations.
iii. The Orange County CoC and the County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
g. Number of people with successful placements from street outreach projects. i. Parties will Invest in street outreach and engagement strategies, including regional care coordination services and partnerships with specialized outreach teams, with a focus on reducing homelessness for those exiting an institution such as hospitals, jails and prisons.
ii. The Orange County CoC and the County will i nvest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
3. The Parties’ roles and responsibilities for Key Actions as specified in Section 3.b. in Attachment I to ensure racial and gender equity in implementation of each Key Action detailed below:
a. Key Action 1: Invest in street outreach and engagement strategies, including regional care coordination services and partnerships with specialized outreach teams, with a focus on reducing homelessness for those exiting an institution such as hospitals, jails and prisons. i. Parties will prioritize culturally responsive and trauma -informed outreach and engagement strategies to better serve racial and gen der groups disproportionately affected by homelessness and incarceration. Outreach teams will include staff who reflect the community’s racial, ethnic, and gender diversity and receive ongoing training on implicit bias, anti-racism, and gender sensitivity.
Data collection via HMIS and CES will be analyzed to monitor equitable access and EXHIBIT 1
outcomes. Partnerships with culturally specific organizations will ensure services are accessible and respectful of diverse backgrounds.
ii. Parties will work to ensure housing navigation and placement efforts will implement equity -focused prioritization within CES policies to ensure overrepresented racial and ethnic groups, including Indigenous peoples, Black/African American, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and more) individuals, receive timely access to interim and permanent housing options. The Key Action will track placement rates and adjust outreach and referral strategies to reduce disparities. Engagement with landlords and ho using developers to expand culturally affirming housing options will be prioritized.
iii. Parties will work to ensure that c ase management will be individualized and trauma-informed, with wraparound services such as mental health care, substance use treatment, and peer support that are sensitive to cultural and gender needs.
iv. Parties will monitor data to identify and intervene early in cases where retention disparities appear.
v. Parties will work to implement r equests for proposals (RFPs) will include equity criteria and scoring that reward culturally competent service models b. Key Action 2: Invest in permanent housing solutions, su ch as rapid rehousing programs and affordable housing development that assist people transition from homelessness into permanent housing and homelessness prevention programs. i. Parties will implement culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches to service delivery, ensuring staff receive ongoing training on implicit bias, cultural humility, and gender sensitivity. Outreach and engagement strategies will prioritize historically underserved and overrepresented populations. ii. Parties will work to address inequities in housing placements by establishing targeted referral pathways and prioritization criteria that focus on those disproportionately impacted by homelessness.
iii. Parties will promote equitable housing retention by providing culturally competent case management and wraparound supportive services that address specific needs related to race, gender, and trauma history. iv. Parties will work to implement equity-focused procurement policies that evaluate vendors on their capacity to deliver equitable outcomes and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
c. Key Action 3: Invest in the critical infrastructure of emergency shelters serving individuals, families, transitional aged youth, and survivors of domestic violence and their operations. racial and gender equity in housing retention.
i. Parties will prioritize culturally responsive and trauma-informed service delivery within emergency shelters by investing in staff training focused on implicit bias, cultural humility, and gender sensitivity. Shelter operatio ns will implement tailored engagement strategies to meet the unique needs of overrepresented groups, women, and gender -diverse individuals, including survivors of domestic violence and transitional aged youth.
EXHIBIT 1
ii. Parties will work to strengthen CES to ensure transparent, fair, and prioritized referrals that address systemic barriers faced by racial and ethnic minorities and gender-diverse populations. Data-driven decision-making will monitor placement rates by demographic groups to identify and address disparities. iii. Parties will ensure that programs integrate supportive services, including behavioral health, case management, and peer support, that are culturally competent and gender affirming.
iv. Parties will work to incorporate equity-focused procurement policies for shelter infrastructure projects, technology vendors, and service providers. d. Key Action 4: Invest in services coordination activities, including but not limited to programs that provide compensation to people with lived experience of homelessness, programs that support the CES activities, and life skills training programs. i. Parties will prioritize culturally responsive and trauma-informed service delivery by incorporating training for all staff and peer specialists on implicit bias, cultural humility, and gender sensitivity.
ii. Parties will use data -driven approaches to monitor placement outcomes, identifying disparities and informing corrective actions. iii. Parties will support ongoing, culturally competent case management and peer support that address the specific challenges faced by overrepresented populations, including trauma, discrimination, and systemic inequities. iv. Parties will work to implement e quity-focused procurement policies will be adopted to increase contracting opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises.
e. Key Action 5: Invest in the HMIS to support HMIS administration activities and strengthen the infrastructure of the homeless service system.
i. Parties will work to expand HMIS functionality to capture more detailed demographic and needs -based data, so that providers will be able to identify disparities in service access and tailor outreach to underrepresented groups disproportionately experiencing homelessness.
ii. Parties will work to Improve data quality and follow-up tracking within HMIS will make it possible to monitor housing retention rates by demographic group. iii. Parties will work to integrate equity requirements into vendor and subrecipient procurement processes for HMIS administration and related services.
4. The parties will ensure that programs and projects funded with HHAP -6 are consistent with Housing First and that all subgrantees will employ the required core components of Housing First, per HSC section 50241(f).
ARTICLE II
Term. This MOU shall become effective upon signing by all Parties and shall terminate on June 30, 2029, unless extended in whole or in part by all Parties, as provided in this MOU.
ARTICLE III
EXHIBIT 1
Fiscal. There shall be no renumeration between the Parties related to the execution and implementation of the terms of this MOU.
ARTICLE IV
Changes to the MOU. This MOU may be amended, including amendments that incorporate future HHAP-6 requirements that may be requested by HCD, by mutual consent of the Parties, hereto. Said amendments shall become effective only when in writing and fully executed by duly authorized officers of the Parties hereto.
ARTICLE V
Authorized Signatories. The Parties to this MOU represents that the undersigned individuals executing this MOU on their respective behalf are fully authorized to do so by law or other appropriate instrument and to bind upon said Parties to the obligations set forth herein.
EXHIBIT 1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this MOU as of the last date and year written below.
ORANGE COUNTY CONTINUUM OF CARE
By:______________________________
Dr. Shauntina Sorrells
Chair
Orange County Continuum of Care
Dated:___________________________
By:______________________________
Douglas Becht
County of Orange, County Executive Office
Office of Care Coordination
Dated:___________________________
Approved As To Form
CEO Counsel
County of Orange, California
By:________________________________
Deputy
Dated:______________________________
COUNTY OF ORANGE
By:______________________________
Douglas Becht
County of Orange, County Executive Office
Office of Care Coordination
Dated:___________________________
Approved As To Form
CEO Counsel
County of Orange, California
By:________________________________
Deputy
Dated:______________________________
EXHIBIT 1
CITY OF ANAHEIM
ATTEST: CITY OF ANAHEIM
____________________________ ____________________________
THERESA BASS JAMES VANDERPOOL
City Clerk City Manager
Dated:_______________________ Dated:_______________________
APPROVE AS TO FORM: RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL:
____________________________ _____________________________
RYAN HODGE GRACE RUIZ-STEPTER
Deputy City Attorney Director
Dept of Housing and Community Development
Dated:_______________________ Dated:_______________________
CITY OF IRVINE
Dated: _____________________
CITY OF IRVINE,
a California municipal corporation
By: ___________________________
Sean P. Crumby, Interim City Manager
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
RUTAN & TUCKER, LLP
____________________________
Jeffrey T. Melching, City Attorney
ATTEST:
____________________________
Carl Petersen, City Clerk
EXHIBIT 1
CITY OF SANTA ANA
ATTEST:
________________________________
Jennifer Hall
Ci
ty Clerk
Dated:____________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
SONIA R. CARVALHO
City Attorney
By:_______________________________
Andrea Garcia-Miller
Senior Assistant City Attorney
CITY OF SANTA ANA
____________________________________
Alvaro Nuñez
City Manager
Dated:________________________________
RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL:
___________________________________
Michael Garcia
Executive Director
Community Development Agency
EXHIBIT 1