1 [DRAFT FOR CITY REVIEW]
City of Santa Clara
HOME-ARP Allocation Plan
1. Consultation Process
HUD requires each participating jurisdiction to consult with agencies and service provides whose clientele include the HOME-ARP qualifying populations. HUD also requires that each participating jurisdiction provide opportunities for the public to comment on the proposed plan, including the amount of HOME-ARP funds that will be received and the range of activities that the City may undertake. The City of Santa Clara consulted with multiple entities involved in addressing homelessness and service provision to develop the following allocation plan.
The City consulted with the Santa Clara County Continuum of Care (CoC) Board, along with other cities within the CoC’s jurisdiction, regarding its HOME ARP Allocation Plan on March 28, 2022. The City also held a virtual focus group for local service providers on July 20, 2022 as part of the local planning process which included representatives from Bill Wilson Center, which provides housing, shelter and services to youth experiencing homelessness, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, which serves and advocates for the needs of people with disabilities, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Liaison from Santa Clara Unified School District.
The City solicited feedback from the following groups during virtual one on one interviews from December 2022 - February 2023:
• Santa Clara County Housing Authority (December 21, 2022) • Santa Clara Unified School District (January 26, 2023) • Domestic violence service providers: Next Door (January 31, 2023) • Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (February 2, 2023)
Additionally, the City reached out to agencies serving veterans experiencing homelessness including Nation’s Finest, which provides housing, case management and services and the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) Team at the Veterans Administration and received feedback via email from the HCHV team.
2 List of organizations consulted:
Agency/Org
Consulted
Type of
Agency/Org
Method of
Consultation Feedback
Santa Clara Unified
School District –
McKinney Vento
Liaisons
Public, Education,
addresses needs of
qualifying
populations
Virtual Interview
Virtual Focus
Group
Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Santa Clara County
Housing Authority
Public, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations, PHA
Virtual Interview Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Bill Wilson Center Nonprofit, Youth
Housing and
Services Provider,
addresses needs of
qualifying
populations
Virtual Focus
Group
Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Santa Clara CoC
Board
CoC serving the
jurisdiction’s
geographical area
Virtual Meeting Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Silicon Valley
Independent Living
Center
Nonprofit Services
Provider, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations
including people
with disabilities
Virtual Focus
Group
Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Nation’s Finest Nonprofit, Housing
and Services
Provider, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations
including veterans
Email request for
information
No response given at the time of
publication of the draft allocation
plan. Will continue to follow up.
Veterans
Administration,
Health Care for
Homeless Veterans
Team
Public, Veterans
Affairs Agency,
addresses needs of
qualifying
populations
including veterans
Email Request
for Information
Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Law Foundation of
Silicon Valley
Nonprofit, addresses
fair housing, civil
rights, and the needs
of persons with
disabilities.
Virtual Interview Email response included in
Appendix A.
3 Community
Solutions
Nonprofit Services
Provider, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations
including persons
fleeing or attempting
to flee domestic
violence
Virtual Interview Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
YWCA Nonprofit Housing
and Services
Provider, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations
including persons
fleeing or attempting
to flee domestic
violence
Virtual Interview Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Next Door Nonprofit Services
Provider, addresses
needs of qualifying
populations
including persons
fleeing or attempting
to flee domestic
violence
Virtual Interview Notes from the virtual meeting are
included in Appendix A.
Summary of feedback received and results of upfront consultation with these entities:
Across the various service providers and stakeholders consulted, housing affordability and a lack of available affordable housing were common themes. The high cost of housing in the City and regionally was seen as a key challenge and driver of homelessness and housing instability. More immediately, a lack of shelter located in the city and a lack of resources located in, or dedicated specifically to, City of Santa Clara residents was also highlighted. Below is a more detailed summary of specific feedback raised by stakeholders consulted for this plan:
Homeless Service Providers: Homeless service providers in the City highlighted the cost of housing as the greatest issue in the community, as well as the lack of development of affordable housing. Providers highlighted multiple services that are currently helpful within the City, such as the City’s TBRA program, COVID-related emergency rental assistance, and intensive case management services. Additionally, Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) partners with Bill Wilson Center to distribute resources to children and families. Service providers called out mental health services, available and adequately staffed safe parking sites, shelters, street outreach, and temporary housing as current service needs.
Domestic Violence Service Providers: Service providers identified domestic violence as a major cause of homelessness in the community. Survivors face challenges with obtaining, maintaining, 4 and affording housing including bad credit and low income, in addition to the trauma caused by abuse. Next Door, one of the local service providers, provides targeted services for survivors, such as shelter with confidential services and locations, connections to legal services specific to survivor needs (e.g. filing restraining orders, assistance with family court, helping clients interact with law enforcement), support groups and therapy, however, additional resources are needed.
Veterans’ Groups: The largest needs identified by the Veterans Administration are housing for aging veterans who are unable to live independently and housing for veterans with criminal histories. Criminal histories, specifically status on the state’s 290 sex offender registry was highlighted as a barrier to participating in voucher programs. The VA currently operates Health Care for Homeless Veterans Programs (HCHV/Emergency Shelter beds), Grant-Per-Diem (Transitional Housing), HUD-VASH (Permanent housing through PBV/Housing Choice Vouchers), and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) (Rapid Rehousing, Shallow Subsidy, Temporary Financial Assistance and Emergency Housing Assistance).
Public Housing Authority: The Santa Clara County Housing Authority currently holds more than 17,000 Housing Choice Vouchers but there are 34,000 people currently on the interest list, indicating a widespread need for rental assistance. New voucher resources were obtained this year, such as HUD-VASH vouchers and vouchers for families who are disabled and homeless.
The primary obstacle for putting vouchers to use is a lack of units and landlord resistance to taking vouchers. The Housing Authority currently contracts with Abode Services, a local nonprofit service provider, to assist people obtaining vouchers in their housing search.
Public or private organizations that address fair housing, civil rights, and the needs of persons with disabilities: These organizations highlighted the need for development of affordable housing with funding for supportive services, specifically for community members with disabilities and behavioral health issues. There is a lack of continuity in support when people are experiencing a mental health crisis, namely with regards to discharge planning from hospitals and medical facilities. There is a need for accessible housing combined with supportive services to allow people experiencing homelessness to stabilize over time.
2. Public Participation
In addition to the stakeholder consultation described above, the City provided a variety of opportunities for public participation in development of this Allocation Plan. As part of a broader local homelessness response planning process, which included hosting a series of virtual public meetings in April through October 2022, the City provided multiple venues for members of the public to provide input on funding priorities that informed development of this allocation plan.
The local planning process is described in more detail below.
In addition to the local planning process, public hearings and comment periods specific to the HOME ARP allocation plan included:
5 • The City of Santa Clara’s draft HOME ARP Allocation Plan was made available for public comment on the City’s website March 3, 2023.
• The City notified the public of the publication of the draft HOME ARP Allocation Plan by via its webpage, stakeholder emails, and social media. • The City held a public hearing on the HOME ARP Allocation Plan on March 21, 2023.
Efforts to broaden public participation:
The City encouraged public participation through email and virtual community meetings as part of their homelessness strategic planning process. Feedback was gathered from community members over a period of six months in 2022. The community engagement process included outreach to many sectors throughout the City, including community members, people with lived experience of homelessness, businesses, service providers, and City staff. This community engagement process included an opportunity for members of the public to participate in a focus group on homelessness and a virtual community forum open to all members of the public for participation. The City also accepted public comment via email and during the community forum.
The following opportunities to provide feedback were also provided:
• Survey of the business community on how homelessness has impacted their businesses and employees with 276 respondents;
• 12 interviews with people with lived experience of homelessness; and • 6 Homelessness Taskforce Meetings open to the public. • Received 10 public comments via email
• Posted proposed strategies framework to reduce homelessness and its impacts on City website for public comment, receiving 40+ emails from the public. • Presented proposed strategies framework to City Council at a study session open to the public and received public comment.
Additionally, the City utilized a 15 day comment period for the HOME ARP allocation plan. The plan was available for the public to access on the City’s website.
Summary of the comments and recommendations received through the public participation process either in writing, or orally at a public hearing:
Enter narrative response here.
Summary of any comments or recommendations not accepted and state the reasons why:
Enter narrative response here.
3. Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis
6 Homeless as defined in 24 CFR 91.5
A sheltered and unsheltered Point in Time Census and Survey (PIT Count) was conducted across Santa Clara County on February 23-24, 2022. The PIT Count includes basic enumeration of sheltered and unsheltered individuals for each city jurisdiction, which provides a snapshot of individuals experiencing homelessness within the borders of the City of Santa Clara in late February 2022.
2022 Point in Time Count, City of Santa Clara
Unsheltered Individuals 375 (85%)
Sheltered Individuals 65 (15%)
Total Individuals 440
The Santa Clara County CoC’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) offers a more detailed picture of the size and characteristics of the unhoused population. To align with the 24 C.F.R. 91.5 definition of homelessness, the HMIS data below includes a deduplicated set of individuals who took a Coordinated Entry System assessment within calendar year 2021 (indicating they were unhoused and in need of assistance), or were enrolled in street outreach, emergency shelter, or transitional housing at any point in calendar year 2021. 1 Based on responses to specific questions on the local Coordinated Entry System assessment, HMIS data can be further filtered to identify individuals experiencing homelessness who have a connection or affiliation to the City of Santa Clara, including any of the following:
1) Currently lives in the city;
2) Lived in the city immediately prior to losing housing; 3) Works or attends school in the city; or
4) Spends most of their time in the city.
The table below summarizes key characteristics of the population identified in HMIS as experiencing homelessness who also have a connection to the City of Santa Clara:
City of Santa Clara-Affiliated Individuals who Experienced Homelessness in CY 2021 (HMIS)
Total 769
Youth and Young Adults (aged 0-24) 132 (17%)
Older Adults (aged 55+) 231 (30%)
With a Disability 453 (59%)
Met the Definition of “Chronically
Homeless” 384 (50%)
With Experience of Domestic Violence 264 (34%)
7 Veterans 43 (6%)
Demographic information collected in HMIS illustrates the racial and ethnic makeup of this population. Of 769 individuals, 352 (46%) identified as Hispanic or Latinx. The chart below breaks down each response category for race by ethnicity response (Hispanic/Latinx or Non- Hispanic/Non-Latinx). The response category “White” is displayed in two separate bars, broken out by ethnicity response, due to the relatively high number of individuals identifying as White.
The majority (79%) of City of Santa Clara-affiliated households experiencing homelessness are households without children.
City of Santa Clara-Affiliated Households who
Experienced Homelessness in CY 2021, by Household
Type (HMIS)
Single Adult Households 520
Families with Children under 18 137
Multiple-Adult Households 19
Unaccompanied Children under 18 10
The HMIS data summarized above generally aligns with qualitative information gathered through the consultation process. Multiple housing and service providers, as well as people with lived experience of homelessness, highlighted physical and behavioral health conditions and histories of domestic violence as common experiences among the population experiencing homelessness. Service providers also highlighted older adults as a growing population. While City of anta Clara-Affiliat d Indi\·idual who E peti n ed Homele ne 111 Y O 1. by Ra e and Ethni ity (HMI
150 232 217
100
50 104 ■ _ ron-Hispini Lalinx
100 52
■ Hispmi 1-atinx
38 42
50 16
0 merican Asian or Black or Mu lti- ative White , Wh' e, Indian, laska Asian African Racial awai ian Hispanic on- Native, or American Ame rican or Pacific /La inx ispanic lfld-igeAeu5- laAde- /latin
8 gaps in housing and services for families with children were identified (see Unmet Housing and Service Needs of Qualifying Populations), the service provider community generally identified that the majority of people experiencing homelessness are adults without children in their household.
McKinney-Vento data2 reported by the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD) provides a third data source to illustrate some unique characteristics of school-aged children, and their families, experiencing homelessness. Based on data for the 2020-2021 school year, 127 students in grades K-12 were identified as experiencing homelessness. Of those 127 students, 66% were Hispanic or Latinx, 31% were identified as English Learners, and 25% had one or more disability. During the consultation process, the SCUSD McKinney-Vento Liaison identified specific unmet housing, shelter, and service needs for Spanish speaking students and students in need of behavioral health services.
At Risk of Homelessness as defined in 24 CFR 91.5
The Final HOME-ARP Implementation Notice defines “At Risk of Homelessness” to include households or individuals who:
1. Have an annual income below 30% of median family income;
2. Do not have the resources or support networks necessary to prevent them from losing their housing; and
3. Meet at least one additional listed condition demonstrating housing instability.
Several data sources are available to illustrate the scope and characteristics of this qualifying population. The Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) 3 website provides
information, based on American Community Survey data for 2015-2019, about household income cross-referenced with housing characteristics. CHAS data for the City of Santa Clara identifies 5,260 households with annual income at or below 30% of HUD Area Median Family Income who have one or more “housing problems,4” which indicate housing instability.
The Santa Clara County CoC has a countywide Homelessness Prevention System (HPS) available to all county residents, regardless of geographic location. Eligibility for HPS services requires household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income, expected housing loss within 14 days or an unsafe housing situation, and an assessment score demonstrating a high risk of housing loss. In addition to the HPS, there are a number of smaller programs that provide prevention services within the City of Santa Clara. While the eligibility criteria for the community’s homelessness prevention resources do not precisely mirror the HOME ARP definition of “At Risk,” they likely serve a very similar population. The table below summarizes the characteristics of households who sought out and received support for acute housing instability.
9 City of Santa Clara-Affiliated Individuals who Received Homelessness Prevention Assistance in CY 2021 (HMIS)
Disability 51 (25%)
Physical Disability 25 (12%)
Behavioral Health Condition 29 (14%)
Experience of Domestic Violence 27 (13%)
Veterans 8 (4%)
Total 206
Fleeing, or Attempting to Flee, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, or Human Trafficking, as defined by HUD in the Notice
HMIS data for calendar year 2021 shows a total of 82 individuals with a connection to the City of Santa Clara who reported that they were fleeing domestic violence. The majority (76%) of these individuals were women, and 70% of households were adults without children. Based on data from local providers who specialize in housing and services for people fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking, the population of people fleeing in the City of Santa Clara over the course of a year is between 175 and 322. 1 The
relatively low representation of people who are fleeing in HMIS indicates that this population is more likely to seek support and/or share their experience of fleeing with specialized providers.
California state-wide data on human trafficking from the National Human Trafficking Hotline5 indicates 1,334 identified cases of human trafficking involving 2,122 survivors. Of those cases, 1,023 were related to sex trafficking, 131 were related to labor trafficking, and 63 cases involved both sex and labor trafficking. For cases statewide in which demographic information was collected, 86% were female and 80% were adults 18 or older.
Local service providers for people who are fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking report that housing instability and housing loss are extremely common for this population. Many survivors have experienced financial abuse, leading to poor credit, low or no income, and lack of employment history. In many cases, the person who is causing the harm is more financially stable than the person attempting to flee, so separating from an unsafe situation is often the primary cause of housing loss. When a perpetrator of violence is removed from the home, that may result in a loss of household income that leads to housing loss. Past evictions that resulted from violence in the home can be a barrier to survivors applying for housing after fleeing.
In addition to the economic impacts above, providers identified common medical and legal experiences among this population. People who are fleeing violence and exploitation carry unique trauma and other emotional wounds that require competent and compassionate behavioral health care. Many survivors are also in need of legal protective orders, help obtaining or keeping
1 Data was provided by the two Victim Service Providers (VSPs) that serve that largest numbers of people connected to the City of Santa Clara. Each VSP provided a deduplicated number of people served over a one -year period: Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence served 175 individuals, and the YWCA Silicon Valley served 147.
These two client populations could not be deduplicated against each other due to data privacy and safety rules. 10 custody of children, or, particularly in the case of those fleeing trafficking, immigration or asylum support.
Other populations requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness and other populations at greatest risk of housing instability, as defined by HUD in the Notice
The Final HOME-ARP Implementation Notice defines this qualifying population to include households or individuals who:
4. Previously experienced homelessness, found housing with support from “emergency or temporary assistance,” and now need further assistance or services to remain housed;
5. Have an annual income at 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) or lower and pays more than 50% of income toward housing costs; or
6. Has an annual income at 50% of AMI or lower and has at least one other sign of housing instability.
The community’s HMIS database is able to identify individuals who have enrolled in a shelter or housing program for people experiencing homelessness, regained housing and exited the program, and re-appear in HMIS within 2 years. Among individuals who regained housing in 2019, 45 individuals with a connection to the City of Santa Clara returned to homelessness within 2 years. This number is included in the table below as an annual estimate of households who were housed with temporary assistance and need additional support to remain housed.
HMIS data provides some insight into the characteristics of this population, with the caveat that a data set of this size may not be representative. Notable demographic characteristics include the following:
• Almost half of the individuals who returned to homelessness (22 of 45) were originally served by and exited from emergency shelter, as opposed to transitional housing, a permanent housing program, or street outreach.
• Among the 45 individuals who returned to homelessness, a disproportionate 27% identified as Black, African American, or African, as compared to 14% of the overall homeless population with connections to the City of Santa Clara. • The age ranges with the highest rates of return to homelessness were ages 18-24 (60% of youth who were housed returned to homelessness), ages 45 to 54 (47% returned), and ages 55 to 64 (32% returned).
The table below combines HMIS data on returns to homelessness with CHAS data for the City of Santa Clara to estimate a total number of people within this qualifying population.
Segment of Qualify Population Estimate
Annual estimate of households who were housed with temporary assistance and need additional support to remain housed (HMIS) 45 Annual income 30% HUD Area Median Family Income (HAMFI) or lower and cost burden >50% 4,230
Annual income 30-50% HAMFI and one or more housing problems 3,850 Total 8,125
11 Identify and consider the current resources available to assist qualifying populations, including congregate and non-congregate shelter units, supportive services, TBRA, and affordable and permanent supportive rental housing (Optional):
Resources targeted to people living in or connected to the City of Santa Clara include the following:
• A total of 276 ELI units and 859 VLI units are currently operating in Santa Clara with a pipeline of 71 ELI units and 90 VLI units;
• A HOME-funded Tenant Based Rental Assistance program currently serves approximately 40-50 households per year who are experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or at risk of homelessness who live, work, or have children enrolled in school in the City of Santa Clara;
• Weekly mobile shower and laundry services;
• Education, counseling, mediation, and fair housing supports for tenants; and • Supportive services for survivors of domestic violence.
This list does not cover all resources available to assist qualifying populations within the city.
The Housing Inventory Count (HIC) for the Santa Clara County CoC identifies the emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing capacity located within the City of Santa Clara for people experiencing homelessness. The resources in the table below are located within the city and are available to city residents experiencing homelessness; however, very little of this capacity is set-aside for city residents or those with a connection to the city.
Resource Type
2021 Housing Inventory Count (HIC)
Beds Located in the City of Santa
Clara
Emergency Shelter 10
Transitional Housing 65
Rapid Rehousing 151
Permanent Supportive Housing 101
Other Permanent Housing 126
Total 453
At the same time, people within the City of Santa Clara are able to access resources located across the County of Santa Clara through the Here4You emergency shelter hotline and through the countywide Coordinated Entry System. The table below shows all HMIS enrollments in emergency shelter, housing programs, or homelessness prevention by people connected to the City of Santa Clara, regardless of the physical location of the program.
12 Program Type
Number of People with a Connection
to the City of Santa Clara with an
Enrollment in CY 2021 (HMIS)
Emergency Shelter 347
Transitional Housing 41
Rapid Rehousing 230
Permanent Supportive Housing 166
Homelessness Prevention 206
Describe the unmet housing and service needs of qualifying populations:
Homeless as defined in 24 CFR 91.5
Input provided by multiple service providers, local government, lived experience, and other partners through the consultation process, as well as HIC, PIT, and HMIS data, highlighted unmet housing and service needs for people experiencing homelessness.
People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness
Based on the 2022 PIT Count, 85% of the population experiencing homelessness within the city are unsheltered. While people in the City of Santa Clara are eligible to access shelter countywide, only 10 shelter beds are available within the city itself, and those beds are youth- dedicated. People with lived experience of homelessness as well as local government and service provider partners identified a need for emergency shelter that keeps people close to local schools, jobs, and home communities. Partners also identified proactive street outreach as a clear services gap. There is no proactive, housing-focused street outreach within the city, which limits the opportunities for assessment, service connections, basic needs support, and trust building with unsheltered individuals.
One of the most frequently identified unmet needs for people living outside or in vehicles was accessible behavioral health care. HMIS data indicates that over half of the people experiencing homelessness in the city have a disability, which includes individuals with behavioral health conditions as well as physical and developmental disabilities. Additionally, half of those recorded in HMIS are experiencing chronic homelessness, which entails long episodes of homelessness that often result in trauma and other health impacts. People with experience being unsheltered and local provider partners noted that accessing and staying connected to behavioral health care can be challenging. Partners also identified a need for behavioral health crisis response that does not rely on police as first responders.
Basic hygiene and sanitation supports were also identified as a need for the unsheltered population within the city. Shower and laundry services help individuals maintain dignity, avoid or manage health complications, and access education and employment. Services for sanitation and hygiene, including shower and laundry as well as trash pickup, are provided through the City of Santa Clara; however, the scale of those services is not yet sufficient to address the need.
13 Affordable and Supportive Housing
The primary unmet need for people experiencing homelessness across the county is access to housing they can afford, with the services and resources they need to remain stably housed.
Based on new Coordinated Entry System assessments for people with a connection to the City of Santa Clara across a 20-month period, 48% were identified as needing some time-limited housing assistance with case management (such as rapid rehousing), and 40% were identified as needing long-term or permanent housing assistance with case management (permanent supportive housing). In response to the countywide PIT Count survey in 2022, the top five most commonly reported obstacles to obtaining housing were:
• Can’t Afford Rent;
• No Job/Income;
• No Housing Available;
• No Money for Moving Costs; and
• Housing Process Too Difficult
Input from providers, people with lived experience, and local government partners during the HOME ARP consultation process aligns with the countywide PIT Count data. Households struggle with high rents, lack of income, and low housing availability in the community. People report frustration and disengagement when they enter the countywide Coordinated Entry System only to wait long periods for supportive housing resources to become available.
In addition to a need for financial assistance with housing costs, case management and targeted services are essential for many households to rebuild health and stability. Specific needs identified through consultation with service providers and people with lived experience include medical and behavioral health care, education and employment support, domestic violence advocacy, and services targeted to seniors and youth.
At Risk of Homelessness as defined in 24 CFR 91.5
The 2022 countywide PIT Count survey reports the following most common responses to the question “What may have prevented [your] homelessness?”
• Rent/Mortgage Assistance;
• Employment Assistance;
• Alcohol/Drug Counseling;
• Mental Health Services; and
• Help Accessing Benefits.
These responses give insight into some of the needs of people at imminent risk of homelessness.
One third of people surveyed, countywide, identified assistance with housing costs (rent or mortgage) as something that might have prevented their homelessness, and two of the other top responses relate to employment or income.
Based on countywide Homelessness Prevention System data, the most common reason for seeking Homelessness Prevention System assistance is loss or reduction of income (45% of 14 households served). Households enrolled in homelessness prevention need an average of $5,394 in financial assistance, along with case management support, to avoid housing loss.
Both the PIT and the Homelessness Prevention System data align with input from local stakeholders who identified high housing costs and low or fixed incomes as key risk factors for housing loss. As for people within the homeless qualifying population, long-term housing stability for people at imminent risk of homelessness is best supported by access to affordable housing and/or financial assistance with housing costs, along with services and resources to meet targeted needs such as employment, education, and medical and behavioral healthcare.
Fleeing, or Attempting to Flee, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, or Human Trafficking, as defined by HUD in the Notice
Individuals and families who are fleeing violence face many of the same challenges as those described above for Homeless and At Risk qualifying populations. This section will focus on the unique needs of this qualifying population.
While housing and supportive services are available to people who are fleeing within the City of Santa Clara, the volume of resources does not meet the demand, and the remaining unmet need is significant. Given the unique nature of the experience of fleeing violence or exploitation, specialized services and specifically trained providers are essential. All households who are fleeing need some level of risk assessment, safety planning, and protection of personal information by providers who understand best practices in each of those areas. Legal services are a common need for people who are fleeing and range from eviction prevention, restraining orders, and child custody, to criminal defense when survivors are wrongfully arrested in cases of abuse. Therapy and support groups for family members of all ages can be an essential component of the healing process and are most effective when targeted to the unique experiences of this population.
In a housing market that already creates high barriers for low-income renters, providers report that people who are fleeing violence and exploitation face additional challenges. This population often needs additional support with housing search and applications to overcome poor credit, lack of or poor rental history, and lack of income and employment history, all of which are common results of financial abuse.
Other populations requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness and other populations at greatest risk of housing instability
as defined by HUD in the Notice
For the many individuals and families facing housing instability in the City of Santa Clara, affordable housing is a primary need. The Santa Clara County Housing Authority indicated during consultation that its interest list is at approximately 34,000 people countywide, which is nearly double the number of housing vouchers in the county. For households with Housing Choice Vouchers, the primary obstacle to housing stability is a lack of available units. Service 15 providers and the Santa Clara Unified School District McKinney-Vento liaison report that many households with children are living in overcrowded situations to reduce housing costs.
Housing affordability involves several factors, including household income, housing costs, housing availability, and other essential expenses (e.g. healthcare, food, transportation, and childcare). Often, risk of housing instability comes with a cluster of needs, such as access to childcare, employment opportunities, affordable medical or behavioral health care, legal services to protect tenancy, domestic violence advocacy, or other targeted supports, which accompany the underlying need to lower housing costs and/or increase income.
Identify any gaps within the current shelter and housing inventory as well as the service delivery system:
Low-Income to Extremely Low-Income Affordable Housing
The table below uses Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data to estimate the need for housing that is affordable to low-income, very low-income, and extremely low- income households. This approach estimates need based on the number of households who are housing cost burdened, indicating that they cannot afford their current housing.
Population within
the City of Santa
Clara
Number who are
Cost Burdened
(>30% of income
on housing)
Low-Income (50-80% of
HAMFI) 4,995 2,675
Very Low-Income (30-
50% of HAMFI) 5,145 3,640
Extremely Low Income
(<30% of HAMFI) 6,145 5,225
The Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) provides an alternative, forward-looking estimate of affordable housing need. The RHNA is a process mandated by the State of California to identify patterns and scale of housing development necessary to meet the current and future needs of California residents. RHNA targets are set for each jurisdiction based on data about housing stock, population characteristics, and other geographic and economic factors. These targets are set for 9-year periods and do not represent current need; however, they are an important measure of the need for affordable housing development over time.
The final RHNA Allocations for 2023-20316 set the following targets for housing development affordable to Low and Very Low Income households:
2023-2031 RHNA Targets for City of Santa Clara7
Very Low Income (<50% of AMI) 2,872
Low Income (50-80% of AMI) 1,653
Total 4,525
16 Increased Supportive Housing Capacity
The table below combines data sources to estimate resource gaps for emergency shelter and supportive housing within the City of Santa Clara. This analysis takes into account several pieces of context:
1. There is a need for increased supportive housing capacity within city borders, to allow residents to stay connected to their community.
2. Countywide resources will continue to be available and utilized by people affiliated with the City of Santa Clara. This means that the estimate gap may not be filled entirely by resources located within the city.
3. The majority of households will need some form of supportive housing (financial assistance with housing costs plus case management) in order to end their homelessness.
Type of
Resource
City-Affiliated
Population
(HMIS)
Expected Need
Based on
Historical
Coordinated Entry
System Data
Beds in the City
of Santa Clara Estimated Gap
Transitional
Housing
769
369
65 153 Rapid
Rehousing 151
Permanent
Supportive
Housing
308 101
308
(low turnover is
expected in existing
PSH)
Emergency Shelter Located within the City of Santa Clara PIT Count data identified 375 unsheltered individuals in the city limits, which points to a sizeable unmet need for safe places to sleep inside. With only ten emergency shelter beds located within the city, those experiencing homelessness must travel outside of their home community to access shelter. This clearly highlights a gap in the emergency shelter system for people connected to the City of Santa Clara.
Proactive Street Outreach
There is no proactive street outreach that covers any geographic area within the City of Santa Clara. Outreach by the City of Santa Clara Police Department Community Response Team and County behavioral health crisis outreach is on-call and responsive to crises. The Community Response Team, which is responsible for nearly all of the outreach activities within the city, is not able to conduct Coordinated Entry System assessments to connect individuals to supportive housing opportunities. Regular street outreach by dedicated housing-focused teams promotes the 17 relationship building needed to effectively connect individuals to services and build pathways to housing stability.
Targeted Supportive Services
Input from partners obtained through the consultation process illustrates the diversity of the experience of homelessness in the City of Santa Clara. There is not a single experience of homelessness or set of housing and service needs that applies to all individuals, and different partners identified different gaps in available services. The following gaps were specifically identified by one or more partner:
• Services for survivors and people fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking;
• Behavioral health crisis response;
• Substance use treatment;
• Employment training and paid work experience;
• Services to support youth and young adults aged 24 and younger; • Services to support older adults aged 55 and older.
Based on local data and the frequency of feedback during consultation, behavioral health services and services for survivors and people fleeing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking are the largest targeted service gaps in terms of population and demand.
Under Section IV.4.2.ii.G of the HOME-ARP Notice, a PJ may provide additional characteristics associated with instability and increased risk of homelessness in their HOME- ARP allocation plan. These characteristics will further refine the definition of “other populations” that are “At Greatest Risk of Housing Instability,” as established in the HOME- ARP Notice. If including these characteristics, identify them here:
Santa Clara is not proposing any additional characteristics associated with instability and increased risk of homelessness.
Identify priority needs for qualifying populations:
Based on available PIT, HMIS, HIC, and housing affordability data and consultation with a range of community partners, the following are priority needs for the HOME ARP qualifying populations:
• Increased affordable housing capacity within the city; • Increased supportive housing capacity (including rental assistance and supportive services);
• Emergency shelter located within the city;
• Pro-active street outreach within the city; and
18 • Targeted supportive services for people with experience of domestic violence and people with behavioral health needs.
There are current efforts underway to address some of these needs. For example, two new locally-funded affordable housing developments are scheduled to open in 2023, and State funding for supportive housing developments is in various stages of planning and implementation. A separate City of Santa Clara strategic planning process has identified many of the same priority needs, and resources will need to be strategically identified to best fill these resource gaps.
Explain how the PJ determined the level of need and gaps in the PJ’s shelter and housing inventory and service delivery systems based on the data presented in the plan:
As described above, this section estimates levels of need and identifies system gaps based on available data, including HMIS, PIT, CHAS, and individual provider data, as well as qualitative information provided by local partners through the HOME ARP consultation process. There are significant unmet needs for all four qualifying populations.
Common across all qualifying populations is a need for affordable and supportive housing. This cross-cutting need includes both affordable physical units and programs that provide rental assistance, case management, and housing search supports. Given the size of the HOME ARP allocation, as well as the availability of other funding sources for affordable housing development, HOME ARP is most effectively leveraged to address rental assistance and housing-focused supportive service needs. (See description of unmet need for all qualifying populations.)
Consultation with local service providers clearly illustrated the unmet needs of people fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. While core needs for housing assistance and case management are shared across qualifying populations, the needs of this specific subpopulation can best be met through targeted supports provided by an experienced victim service providers. (See description of unmet need for people fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.)
4. HOME-ARP Activities
The City of Santa Clara Housing and Community Services Division released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) that solicited applications from service providers to administer eligible activities using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership (HOME), and HOME-ARP funding. The NOFA was released in January 2023, with the 19 application closing in February 2023. Applications were accepted for a one-year or two-year funding cycle which covers FY 2023-24 and 2024-25, and interested eligible parties were encouraged to submit proposals for both fiscal years.
Describe whether the PJ will administer eligible activities directly:
The City of Santa Clara Housing and Community Services Division will not directly administer the HOME-ARP activities beyond program administration and planning and no subrecipients or contractors are responsible for program administration and planning on behalf of the City.
If any portion of the PJ’s HOME-ARP administrative funds are provided to a subrecipient or contractor prior to HUD’s acceptance of the HOME-ARP allocation plan because the subrecipient or contractor is responsible for the administration of the PJ’s entire HOME-ARP grant, identify the subrecipient or contractor and describe its role and responsibilities in administering all of the PJ’s HOME-ARP program:
Not Applicable.
Use of HOME-ARP Funding
Funding Amount Percent of the
Grant
Statutory
Limit
Supportive Services $477,117
Acquisition and Development of Non-
Congregate Shelters $ N/A
Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) $ 886,372
Development of Affordable Rental Housing $ N/A
Non-Profit Operating $ N/A 0 % 5%
Non-Profit Capacity Building $ N/A 0 % 5%
Administration and Planning $ 240,616 15 % 15%
Total HOME ARP Allocation $ 1,604,104
Describe how the PJ will distribute HOME-ARP funds in accordance with its priority needs identified in its needs assessment and gap analysis:
The City currently funds a Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program through its annual HOME allocation, and the consultation process demonstrated the need for additional dollars to fund case management services for people in the existing TBRA program, as HOME dollars cannot be used to fund supportive services. As noted in the data and gaps analysis section, the majority of households need case management in addition to financial assistance with housing costs in order to prevent or end their homelessness. This plan allocates $1,303,488 to expand supportive services and rental assistance dollars in the TBRA program that will serve all 20 qualifying populations. A provider will be identified through the request for proposals process described above.
The consultation process with partners and the community identified a need for funding for homelessness prevention services for persons fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking. This plan allocates $30,000 per year for two years to providing these services. A provider will be identified through a request for proposals process.
This plan allocates $240,616 towards the administration and planning functions of the HOME- ARP funds at near the statutory limit.
Describe how the characteristics of the shelter and housing inventory, service delivery system, and the needs identified in the gap analysis provided a rationale for the plan to fund eligible activities:
The needs assessment identified a high level of need across various eligible activities, including a need for more affordable rental housing, shelter, rental assistance, and supportive services.
However, the amount of funding allocated to the City of $1.7 million dollars is not enough to meet all of the needs of our community. As a result, based on the needs identified and the funds available, the City determined the most impactful use of this funding would be to provide additional TBRA and supportive services to support additional residents until they are able to afford permanent housing.
Given the high costs of developing housing in the Bay Area, the City determined that while affordable housing inventory was identified as a gap during the needs assessment, sources of funding such as our County’s Measure A Affordable Housing Bond are better suited for affordable housing development than the HOME-ARP allocation. Similarly, while the need for additional non-congregate shelter capacity within the City was identified in the gaps analysis, the City would need significant additional funding beyond the HOME ARP allocation to develop and operate a shelter site. For these reasons, the City believes using HOME ARP funding for supportive services and to expand their existing TBRA program will allow for an immediate impact on the qualifying populations that can be sustained beyond the HOME ARP funding period.
5. HOME-ARP Production Housing Goals
Estimate the number of affordable rental housing units for qualifying populations that the PJ will produce or support with its HOME-ARP allocation:
21 Not Applicable.
Describe the specific affordable rental housing production goal that the PJ hopes to achieve and describe how the production goal will address the PJ’s priority needs:
Not Applicable.
6. Preferences
Identify whether the PJ intends to give preference to one or more qualifying populations or a subpopulation within one or more qualifying populations for any eligible activity or project:
Not Applicable.
If a preference was identified, explain how the use of a preference or method of prioritization will address the unmet need or gap in benefits and services received by individuals and families in the qualifying population or subpopulation of qualifying population, consistent with the PJ’s needs assessment and gap analysis:
Not Applicable.
Referral Methods
Identify the referral methods that the PJ intends to use for its HOME-ARP projects and activities. PJ’s may use multiple referral methods in its HOME-ARP program. (Optional):
The City will not utilize coordinated entry for referrals. Each project will maintain a waiting list and eligible applicants will be selected for projects in chronological order of their position on the waiting list.
If the PJ intends to use the coordinated entry (CE) process established by the CoC, describe whether all qualifying populations eligible for a project or activity will be included in the CE process, or the method by which all qualifying populations eligible for the project or activity will be covered. (Optional):
Not Applicable.
If the PJ intends to use the CE process established by the CoC, describe the method of prioritization to be used by the CE. (Optional):
22 Not Applicable.
If the PJ intends to use both a CE process established by the CoC and another referral method for a project or activity, describe any method of prioritization between the two referral methods, if any. (Optional):
Not Applicable.
Limitations
Describe whether the PJ intends to limit eligibility for a HOME-ARP rental housing or NCS project to a particular qualifying population or specific subpopulation of a qualifying population identified in section IV.A of the Notice:
The City does not intend to fund the acquisition or development of rental housing or non- congregate shelter and will not have any limitations on the funds allocated to Tenant Based Rental Assistance or supportive services to serve TBRA participants. However, a portion of the funds allocated to supportive services will have a limitation on eligibility (allocation of $60,000), as these funds will be specifically intended to serve survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and stalking. The remainder of the supportive services (an allocation of $417,117) will be used for those receiving HOME-ARP TBRA, which will be open to all HOME-ARP qualifying populations.
If a PJ intends to implement a limitation, explain why the use of a limitation is necessary to address the unmet need or gap in benefits and services received by individuals and families in the qualifying population or subpopulation of qualifying population, consistent with the PJ’s needs assessment and gap analysis:
While a portion of the supportive services will be used to serve survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking, the remaining supportive services would be open to all qualifying populations in the TBRA program. The County’s HMIS data indicated that in CY 2021, 34%, or 262 of the 769 unhoused individuals with connections to the City of Santa Clara are survivors of domestic violence or trafficking. As noted in the needs assessment, the volume of housing and supportive services available to people fleeing violence or exploitation within the City of Santa Clara does not meet the need.
Supportive services must be specialized and include risk assessment, safety planning, and protection of personal information by providers who understand the unique needs of survivors.
People fleeing violence and exploitation face additional challenges in finding housing and need specialized supportive services to ensure their safety and to overcome housing barriers.
Due to all the above factors, the City determined that there is a need to target a portion of the supportive services funded by HOME-ARP to survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking, an critical unmet need in the City.
23 If a limitation was identified, describe how the PJ will address the unmet needs or gaps in benefits and services of the other qualifying populations that are not included in the limitation through the use of HOME-ARP funds (i.e., through another of the PJ’s HOME-ARP projects or activities):
The City’s plan allocates $1,303,488 to fund supportive services and rental assistance dollars in a TBRA program that will serve all qualifying populations.
7. HOME-ARP Refinancing Guidelines
If the PJ intends to use HOME-ARP funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily rental housing that is being rehabilitated with HOME-ARP funds, the PJ must state its HOME- ARP refinancing guidelines in accordance with 24 CFR 92.206(b) . The guidelines must describe
the conditions under with the PJ will refinance existing debt for a HOME-ARP rental project, including:
• Establish a minimum level of rehabilitation per unit or a required ratio between rehabilitation and refinancing to demonstrate that rehabilitation of HOME-ARP rental housing is the primary eligible activity
Not Applicable.
• Require a review of management practices to demonstrate that disinvestment in the property has not occurred; that the long-term needs of the project can be met; and that the feasibility of serving qualified populations for the minimum compliance period can be demonstrated.
Not Applicable.
• State whether the new investment is being made to maintain current affordable units, create additional affordable units, or both.
Not Applicable.
• Specify the required compliance period, whether it is the minimum 15 years or longer.
Not Applicable.
• State that HOME-ARP funds cannot be used to refinance multifamily loans made or insured by any federal program, including CDBG.
Not Applicable.
• Other requirements in the PJ’s guidelines, if applicable:
Not Applicable.