Sunnyvale Homelessness
Response Plan
2026-2031 | CITY OF SUNNYVALE
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Sunnyvale City Council, Housing and Human Services
Commission, and City Staff
City Council
Mayor Larry Klein
Vice Mayor Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember Charlsie Chang
Councilmember Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember Eileen Le
Councilmember Linda Sell
Councilmember Murali Srinivasan
Ho
using and Human Services Commission
Leesa Riviere, Chair
Rao Shen, Vice Chair
Commissioner Elaina Babayan
Commissioner Scott Duncan
Commissioner Morgan Friedlander
Commissioner Kamille Leng
Commissioner Nila Rajkumar
Ci
ty Staff
Tim Kirby, City Manager
Rebecca Moon, City Attorney
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Connie Verceles, Assistant City Manager
Aaron Bert, Director of Public Works
Ramana Chinnakotla, Director of Environmental Services
Matt Paulin, Director of Finance
Daniel Pistor, Chief of Public Safety
Michelle Perera, Director of Library and Recreation Services Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development
Amanda Sztoltz, Housing Officer
Annette Tran, Human Services Manager
Ryan Dyson, Housing Specialist 2
Jocelyn Vidales, Housing Specialist 1
Samantha Luke, Housing Specialist 1
Lorena Lopez, Housing Specialist 1
Matthew Hazel, Housing Programs Analyst
Kaleena Le, Housing Programs Analyst
Janelle Resuello, Housing Programs Technician
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Contents
Sunnyvale City Council, Housing and Human Services Commission, and City Staff .......................................... 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 Background and Purpose of the Plan ........................................................................................................................... 5 Key Considerations for Plan Development ................................................................................................................... 5 Guiding Principles ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Overview of the City of Sunnyvale’s Homelessness Response ......................................................................... 7 Governance and Roles .................................................................................................................................................. 7 Homelessness Advisory Committee ............................................................................................................................. 7 City Spending on Homelessness ................................................................................................................................... 7 Non-City Controlled Resources Addressing Local Homelessness ................................................................................. 8 Encampment Response ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Homelessness Response Plan Development .................................................................................................. 11 Community Outreach Efforts...................................................................................................................................... 11 Community Feedback Overview ................................................................................................................................. 11 Plan Framework .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Focus Area 1: Homelessness Prevention .................................................................................................................... 13 Focus Area 2: Housing, Shelter, Vehicle-Based Solutions, and Supportive Services .................................................. 14 Focus Area 3: Coordinated Homelessness Response and Community Engagement ................................................. 18 Plan Costs, Funding, and Prioritization ........................................................................................................... 20 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 Appendices ...................................................................................................................................................... 23 Appendix A: County of Santa Clara Supportive Housing System ....................................................................... 23 Appendix B: Funding Sources & Uses ............................................................................................................... 24 Appendix C: Encampment Cleanup and Mitigation Activities ........................................................................... 26 Appendix D: Community Engagement Summary .............................................................................................. 28 Appendix E: 2025-2026 Affordable Housing Pipeline ........................................................................................ 33 Attachment 2
Executive Summary
The City of Sunnyvale’s Homelessness Response Plan outlines a coordinated approach to tackle the challenges of homelessness in Sunnyvale for the next five years, from 2026 to 2031. Homelessness is a complex issue that affects regions locally, statewide, and nationally; it is not unique to Sunnyvale.
No community has yet found a single solution that eliminates homelessness. As a city, we are responsible for making measurable progress in reducing homelessness while ensuring public safety, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and meeting community expectations.
The Plan acknowledges that reducing homelessness and addressing the impacts of unsheltered homelessness are related but separate goals. Reducing homelessness involves tackling the factors that lead to individuals becoming unhoused, as well as increasing the number of people who transition from homelessness to permanent housing. On the other hand, mitigating the effects of unsheltered homelessness requires the City to manage the immediate health, safety, sanitation, and public-space concerns associated with individuals living without permanent housing. Together, these initiatives offer a comprehensive approach to addressing homelessness in Sunnyvale.
The Plan outlines two main goals that direct three focus areas and their related strategies:
Go
al 1: Reduce unsheltered homelessness by at least 25% by 2031. This involves preventing increases in homelessness by reducing the number of individuals becoming homeless and increasing the number transitioning to permanent housing, as measured by the City’s 2031 Point- In-Time (PIT) Count.
Go
al 2: Reduce homelessness-related reports to the City by 25% by 2031. This includes supporting residents, businesses, and visitors—especially those experiencing homelessness—by reducing the number of people living in unsheltered conditions. Additionally, the aim is to lessen the effects and resources associated with encampments, clean-ups, sanitation issues, and other impacts of unsheltered homelessness on public facilities and open spaces. Progress will be measured by a reduction in calls for service and MySunnyvale requests related to homelessness and encampment abatements over time.
The
Plan is structured around three focus areas:
• Homelessness Prevention focuses on reducing the inflow of homelessness by strengthening housing stability through prevention services, tenant protections, affordable housing preservation, and homeowner assistance. • Hou
sing, Shelter, Vehicle-Based Solutions, and Supportive Services expands pathways to stable housing by increasing supportive housing, rental assistance, emergency shelter capacity, supportive services, and coordinated solutions for individuals living in their vehicles.
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• Co
ordinated Homelessness Response and Community Engagement strengthens the City’s response to unsheltered homelessness through formalized encampment response practices, connections to services and resources, and increase community awareness, engagement, and involvement.
Su
ccessful implementation of this Plan will require continued collaboration among the City, regional partners, service providers, community organizations, businesses, residents, and people with lived experience of homelessness. It will also require ongoing evaluation of outcomes, effective coordination of available resources, and the flexibility to adapt strategies as community conditions and available funding change.
Ov
er the five-year Plan period, the City anticipates investing approximately $40 million in capital and operating funding on homelessness-related programs, services, and initiatives from a combination of local, state, federal, County, and other funding sources. The City will continue to pursue available federal, state, County, and other funding opportunities and evaluate local resources to advance the strategies identified in this Plan.
By
aligning resources, measuring outcomes, strengthening partnerships, and adapting to emerging needs, the City is committed to building a more coordinated, equitable, and effective homelessness response system that reduces homelessness through prevention and increased pathways to permanent housing, and mitigates the impacts associated with unsheltered homelessness in the community.
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Introduction
Background and Purpose of the Plan
The City’s Homelessness Response Plan (Plan) establishes a coordinated framework to guide the City’s homelessness response over the next five-year period from Fiscal Year 2026-27 to Fiscal Year 2030-31.
Homelessness is a complex, persistent, and evolving challenge. The City strives to balance community needs and priorities, including perspectives from housed residents, businesses, advocates, and people experiencing homelessness. The Plan includes three focus areas, relevant strategies, and activities that are intended to address homelessness.
The City cannot address homelessness through a single program or approach.
Effective response requires a combination of prevention, outreach, shelter, housing, supportive services, regional coordination, and public-space management. It also requires the City to balance competing but complementary responsibilities: helping people experiencing homelessness access appropriate assistance while ensuring public facilities and spaces remain safe, clean, sanitary, and accessible to everyone.
The Plan identifies the strategies and activities the City could prioritize over the next five years, based on community input, existing City resources, regional partnerships, available funding, and areas where local action can have the greatest impact.
Key Considerations for Plan Development
The Plan draws on a comprehensive engagement process conducted in early 2026 that gathered input from a broad range of key stakeholders. This outreach incorporated diverse perspectives into the Plan’s development and helped shape its focus areas, strategies, and activities, as discussed further in the Response Plan Development section.
Community feedback identified a broad range of needs, potential strategies, and existing services that community members would like to see expanded. These included additional affordable and supportive housing, shelter and safe parking, prevention services, hygiene resources, behavioral health services, transportation assistance, and improved case management and service coordination.
Additionally, the planning process included:
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• An assessment of the City’s existing homelessness response and role within the regional system, informed by document review and key stakeholder interviews; and
• A quantitative analysis of existing City and County homelessness services and programs.
The City considered this feedback when developing the Plan. However, available funding, staffing, site availability, legal requirements, and the City's role within the regional homelessness system limit the number and scale of initiatives the City can implement. The Plan therefore prioritizes actions that can be realistically implemented within available and reasonably anticipated resources while continuing to pursue additional funding and regional partnerships.
Guiding Principles
The following guiding principles establish the core values and approaches that will guide the City’s implementation of the Plan.
1. Continue to Prioritize Prevention and Housing Stability Sunnyvale is committed to reducing inflow into homelessness by strengthening tenant protections, expanding access to legal and financial assistance, and preserving existing affordable housing. Preventing displacement and supporting households before a crisis escalates is the most effective and least disruptive intervention.
2. Advance Housing as the Primary Solution
Housing is the foundation of long-term stability. The City will expand supportive housing, interim housing, rental assistance, and other housing pathways and supportive services that help individuals and families exit homelessness and achieve lasting housing outcomes.
3. Maintain Clean, Safe, and Accessible Public Facilities for all The City is committed to ensuring that public facilities and public spaces, including parks, sidewalks, streets, waterways, and other public spaces, remain clean, safe, and usable by all community members.
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Overview of the City of Sunnyvale’s Homelessness
Response
Governance and Roles
Homelessness is addressed through a regional system involving the City, the County of Santa Clara, nonprofit service providers, Santa Clara County Housing Authority, health and behavioral health agencies, and other public and community partners.
The County of Santa Clara (the County) leads the regional homelessness response system (known as the County’s “Supportive Housing System”) and funds and/or administers many of the programs that provide outreach, shelter, homelessness prevention, housing navigation, supportive housing, health services, behavioral health services, and other assistance. The County also funds and oversees the North County Family Shelter in Sunnyvale. Additional information on the County’s role and the programs and pathways that comprise its Supportive Housing System is provided in Appendix A.
The City establishes local policy, invests resources, directly funds or augments funding for local housing and homelessness programs, coordinates with regional partners, and addresses the local impacts of unsheltered homelessness. Almost every City department is involved in the City’s response to homelessness, including Community Development, Public Works, Public Safety, Library and Recreation Services, Finance, Office of the City Attorney, Environmental Services, and the City Manager's Office.
Homelessness Advisory Committee
The City will establish a staff-appointed Homelessness Advisory Committee to provide ongoing community input during implementation of the Plan. The committee could include people with lived experience of homelessness, service providers, businesses, residents, advocates, regional partners, and other community stakeholders.
The committee will provide input on implementation priorities, community impacts, emerging needs, and performance results and will serve as an additional mechanism for transparency and community engagement throughout the five-year period.
City Spending on Homelessness
In FY 2025-26, the City spent approximately $1.6 million on homelessness services and programs (e.g. street outreach, inclement weather shelter, mobile hygiene, temporary shelter program), $32,000 on abatement activities, and over $500,000 in City staffing on all homelessness program administration. In addition, the City invests approximately $14 million every two years towards affordable housing development.
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Appendix C provides additional information on the City’s encampment abatements.
The table below provides a snapshot of some direct City expenditures and dedicated staffing costs associated with homelessness response. It is not a comprehensive accounting of all City resources that are spent on homelessness.
Table 1. City of Sunnyvale Homeless Response Budgets over Four Fiscal Years Funding Category FY 23-24 (Actual) FY 24-25 (Actual) FY 25-26 (Actual) FY 26-27 (Budget) Direct Homelessness
Services & Programs (e.g.
street outreach, TBRA,
mobile hygiene, etc.)
$1,679,095 $1,988,965 $1,649,507 $2,449,961
City Housing Staff -
Homelessness Programs
Administration
$129,807 $237,734 $505,675 $525,839
Mitigation Activities (e.g.
encampment cleanup,
etc.)
$58,620 $50,967 $32,545 $100,000
City Staff – Conducting
Mitigation Activities (DPS,
DPW)
$100,370 $105,860 $131,919 $131,919
Total City Direct Staff &
Operating Costs on
Homelessness
$1,967,892 $2,383,526 $2,319,646 $3,207,719
City Indirect Costs - 15% $295,184 $357,529 $347,947 $481,158 TOTAL COST $2,263,076 $2,741,055 $2,667,593 $3,688,877
Non-City Controlled Resources Addressing Local Homelessness In addition to City expenditures related to homelessness, the County and Housing Authority invest significant funding to address homelessness in Sunnyvale and the region. Concerns have been raised that the City may be bearing a disproportionate share of the cost burden for addressing homelessness, or that it is not getting its “fair share” of County, state, and federal resources as compared to other nearby cities in the County of Santa Clara. A detailed comparative analysis is beyond the scope of this document; however, numerous programs funded through other sources constitute a substantial portion of Sunnyvale’s homelessness response system. Examples from 2025 include:
• The Santa Clara County Housing Authority and County of Santa Clara’s Office of Supportive Housing fund operating and supportive services for permanent supportive housing that serves 247 households affiliated with Sunnyvale, with costs estimated at over $9 million annually.
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• The County invested over $5 million to serve 365 Sunnyvale-affiliated1 households in the Homelessness Prevention System.
• The 31-unit North County Family Shelter, located in Sunnyvale, has an annual operating budget of nearly $3.6 million, supported through a combination of County and state funding awarded to the County. The shelter served 7 Sunnyvale-affiliated households in 2025.
• The County invested nearly $5 million to support 147 Sunnyvale-affiliated households in the rapid rehousing program in 2025.
The recommended continued and expanded City investments outlined in this Plan strategically leverage and supplement non-City investments.
Encampment Response
The City’s approach to encampment response recognizes both the needs of people experiencing homelessness and the City’s responsibility to maintain safety, sanitation, and access to public spaces.
Whenever possible, the City’s first response is to engage people through outreach and connect them with available services. The City works closely with its contracted street outreach provider to proactively engage individuals living in encampments and vehicles throughout the community seven days a week. Daily outreach efforts focus on building trust, assessing individual needs, connecting residents to Coordinated Entry, and providing referrals to housing, healthcare, behavioral health, employment, and other supportive services.
If health and safety concerns arise, the City coordinates across departments and its street outreach provider to balance public health and safety needs with the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness. Whenever possible, before any abatement efforts, the outreach provider conducts outreach to inform impacted individuals about available resources, assess housing needs, and facilitate connections to shelter and housing opportunities.
When encampment abatement is necessary, the City conducts the abatement in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Advance notice is posted at the site, including information on how individuals can retrieve any personal property that is collected and stored. Salvageable items are stored for a minimum of 90 days, and notices include information regarding the storage 1 Sunnyvale-affiliated” refers to individuals connected to Sunnyvale through prior residence, spending most of their time in the City, school attendance, or employment, as determined through Vulnerability Index – Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) assessment questions.
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location and retrieval process.
In addition to outreach, the City continues to implement preventive measures to discourage camping in locations that pose health or safety risks. These efforts are intended to reduce the likelihood of encampments forming in unsafe areas while encouraging connections to available housing and supportive services.
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Homelessness Response Plan Development
Community Outreach Efforts
From January through April 2026, Staff conducted extensive community outreach through a variety of engagement methods to gather feedback from a broad range of stakeholders. This outreach incorporated diverse perspectives and informed the Plan’s framework.
Outreach efforts included:
• Two hybrid community meetings were held at City Hall and online. To improve accessibility, the City provided written and verbal interpretation services in Spanish and Mandarin.
• 16 stakeholder interviews with non -profit human service providers, advocates, local school districts, County of Santa Clara O ffice of Supportive Housing (OSH) and Homelessness Prevention System (HPS) staff, and City staff. • 158 online surveys distributed to nonprofit providers, community members, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
• 63 in-person surveys conducted with individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
Community Feedback Overview
Through the collection and synthesis of community input from all outreach activities, staff identified several themes that were reflected in the community feedback, both in the types of strategies community members wanted the City to pursue and in the overall structure of the Plan, including:
• Expanding affordable and permanent housing opportunities; • Increasing homelessness prevention resources;
• Improving access to basic needs infrastructure, such as restrooms, showers, and hygiene facilities;
• Developing multiple short-term interventions, including safe parking, interim housing, and additional hotel-based shelter options;
• Continued data collection, performance measurement, and transparent public reporting regarding homelessness response efforts and outcomes; and
• Addressing public health, safety, sanitation, and access concerns in community spaces while maintaining compassionate responses and providing connections to housing, shelter, and supportive services.
This feedback informed the Plan’s focus areas, strategies, and activities. While much of the feedback aligned with the initial draft framework, community engagement also identified opportunities to expand existing services and pursue additional programs, many of which would require significant additional funding.
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Appendix D provides additional information on community engagement activities, stakeholders engaged, key feedback, and community-identified gaps and needs.
Community Concerns Reported through City Service Channels In addition to formal community outreach, the City considered concerns reported through existing City service channels, including unhoused-related Department of Public Safety (DPS) calls for service and MySunnyvale customer relationship management (CRM) requests.
Ta
ble 2. Unhoused-Related Service Requests and Calls for Service City Service Channel FY2025-26 FY2026-27 - Year to Date (August 31, 2026)
Department of Public Safety
Unhoused Related Calls2 648 455
MySunnyvale CRM Requests 622 177
MySunnyvale requests were identified using criteria intended to capture requests related to homelessness, including concerns about encampments, vehicles used as shelter, individuals experiencing homelessness, and associated health, safety, sanitation, and access conditions.
These service channels provide additional insight into the types and frequency of concerns community members report regarding homelessness. The data reflected ongoing community concerns related to health, safety, sanitation, and access and illustrated the level of City resources dedicated to responding to homelessness-related concerns. The data was considered alongside community outreach feedback in developing the Plan.
2 Department of Public Safety (DPS) began tracking unhoused-related calls for service in May 2026; therefore, the FY 2025-26 total reflects calls recorded from May – June 2026 only.
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Plan Framework
Overview
The Plan is organized around three focus areas that provide the framework for the City's response to homelessness. Together, these focus areas represent the key areas where the City can make progress toward reducing homelessness and addressing its associated impacts on the larger community.
Focus Areas
1. Homelessness Prevention
2. Housing, Shelter, Vehicle-Based Solutions, and Supportive Services
3. Coordinated Homelessness Response and Community Engagement Together, the three focus areas recognize that no single intervention is sufficient.
Prevention can reduce the number of people entering into homelessness, but some households will still experience homelessness and need shelter and housing. Housing is the long-term solution, but housing resources are limited, and many people need interim shelter or supportive services while they pursue permanent housing. Outreach can connect people to assistance, but the City must also respond when unsheltered conditions create health, safety, sanitation, or access concerns. Progress on these activities may be measured through annual reports to Council, contract performance metrics for funded nonprofit services, and through the biennial PIT Counts.
Focus Area 1: Homelessness Prevention
Homelessness prevention prioritizes efforts that help keep residents safely housed and prevent a housing crisis from escalating into homelessness. Key prevention strategies include strengthening tenant protections and supporting low-income homeowners through home repair programs. These prevention-focused efforts are intended to reduce displacement, strengthen housing stability, and directly support Goal 1 by decreasing the inflow of households into homelessness.
Strategy 1.1: Increase awareness and utilization of tenant protection and fair housing resources.
o Activity 1: Create a new City webpage for tenant protections and fair housing policies.
Ta
rget
• Launch a dedicated City tenant protections and fair housing webpage by 2027, providing clear, accessible information on tenant rights, available resources, protections, and how to access assistance.
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Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Develop and Launch Webpage
• Year 2 – 5 (2027 – 2031): Updates and Maintenance
Funding Source
• Existing staff time
o Activity 2: Conduct robust community outreach to increase awareness of local tenant protection policies and resources. Target
• Conduct outreach efforts annually
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 – 5 (2026 – 2031): Ongoing
Funding Source
• Existing staff time
Strategy 1.2: Preserve existing housing stock to prevent displacement and reduce inflow into homelessness.
o Activity 1: Support critical home repairs for low-income homeowners through local home repair programs
Target
• Assist a minimum of 50 households annually through
City-funded home repair programs
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 – 5 (2026 – 2031): Ongoing
Funding Source
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG),
Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA)
Focus Area 2: Housing, Shelter, Vehicle-Based Solutions, and Supportive Services
This focus area prioritizes expanding pathways out of homelessness through supportive housing, interim housing, shelter solutions, and connections to supportive services. Strategies include advancing supportive housing development, maintaining the tenant-based rental assistance program, expanding temporary shelter capacity, addressing vehicular homelessness through these programs, and increasing access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services.
Appendix E provides additional information on the City’s current affordable housing development pipeline, including anticipated affordable and permanent supportive housing units and City investments. Together, these efforts directly support Goal 1 by reducing unsheltered homelessness and improving access to Attachment 2
stable housing and supportive services.
Strategy 2.1: Provide financial and technical support to deliver additional supportive housing units.
o Activity 1: Provide funding and technical assistance to support the development of supportive housing projects.
Target
• Support the development of a minimum of 60 supportive housing units serving Sunnyvale-affiliated households by 2031.
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 – 5 (2026 – 3021): Ongoing
Funding Source
• Housing Mitigation Fund
• Other local, state, federal, and county funding sources, as available
• Existing staff time
Strategy 2.2: Strengthen housing stability and emergency shelter options o Activity 1: Maximize utilization and impact of the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program.
Target
• Increase TBRA utilization to serve up to 40 households annually, with at least 85% of participants exiting to permanent housing. Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 – 5 (2026 – 2031): Ongoing
Funding Source
• Subsidies: HOME Investment Partnerships Program and
HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan
Program (HOME-ARP)
• Operating/Services: Housing Mitigation Fund and Former Redevelopment Agency Fund
• Existing staff time
o Activity 2: Implement an ongoing Inclement Weather Hotel Program. Target
• Operate program annually, dependent on inclement weather events with a 95% or greater occupancy rate
Implementation Timeline
• Years 1 – 5 (2026 – 2031): Launch and Ongoing Operation Funding Source
• General Fund, Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) • Ex
isting staff time
Strategy 2.3: Increase access to safe, service-connected vehicle - based shelter Attachment 2
options for people experiencing vehicular homelessness. o Activity 1: Pursue the development of a low-barrier interim shelter program for unsheltered and vehicularly housed individuals and couples. Target
• Develop and operate a low-barrier interim shelter program with capacity to serve at least 50 individuals annually, prioritizing people experiencing unsheltered and vehicular homelessness, with at least 25% of participants exiting to permanent housing or other stable housing destinations.
Implementation Timeline
• Year
1 (2026 – 2027): Secure funding
• Ye
ar 2 – 3 (2027 – 2029): Develop interim shelter
• Year 4 – 5 (2029 – 2031): Ongoing implementation
Funding Source
• Development: Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF), Pro- housing Incentive Program (PIP), Opioid Resettlement Funding, philanthropic funds, Permanent Local Housing Allocation • Ongoing Operation: General Fund, Opioid Resettlement Funding • Staff time
o Activity 2: Implement and operate a safe parking program that provides designated overnight parking and connections to supportive services. Target
• Establish and operate a safe parking program that provides at least 10 designated overnight parking spaces annually and connects 100% of participating households to housing navigation and supportive services, with the goal of increasing exits to permanent housing.
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Conduct community outreach, Site Planning/Pre-Development, RFP for operator
• Year 2-3 (2027 – 2029): Site improvements/site development; Program Launch
• Year 4- 5 (2029 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• General Fund
• Staff time
o Activity 3: Support the establishment of a congregation-operated safe parking site by providing permitting assistance and technical support.
Target
• Support the establishment of at least one congregation-operated safe parking site that provides designated overnight parking and connections to housing navigation and supportive services Attachment 2
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Conduct community outreach, Identify congregational operator
• Year 2 (2027 – 2028): Site improvement/developments/Program Launch
• Year 3- 5 (2028 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• Staff time
o Activity 4: Establish an RV permit parking program on a designated City street to provide safe parking and services for households experiencing vehicular homelessness.
Target
• By 2027, establish at least 30 designated oversized vehicle parking spaces and maintain an average utilization rate of 80% or higher, with participating households offered connections to housing navigation and supportive services.
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Program Design, Development, and Launch • Year 2 – 5 (2027 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• Staff Time
• General Fund
Strategy 2.4: Increase access to supportive services.
o Activity 1: Explore opportunities to embed behavioral health professionals within City-funded programs to provide more accessible, on-site support to individuals experiencing homelessness
Target
• By 2031, increase the percentage of individuals experiencing homelessness who receive behavioral health services through City-funded outreach, interim housing, and/or other programs, with a goal of connecting at least 50% of participants who identify a behavioral health need to appropriate services.
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 - 2 (2026 -2028): Program Design, Additional
Funding Identification
• Year 3: (2028 -2029): Secure Funding, Program Launch
• Year 4 – 5 (2029 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• Staff Time
• Opioid Resettlement Funds, General Fund, other funding to be identified
o Activity 2: Expand and sustain street outreach and mobile hygiene services Attachment 2
to connect people experiencing unsheltered homelessness with basic needs, housing assistance, and supportive services.
Target
• At least 15% of program participants will exit to shelter, interim housing, transitional housing, or permanent
housing
Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 – 5 (2026 – 2031): Ongoing
Funding Source
• General Fund, PLHA
Focus Area 3: Coordinated Homelessness Response and Community Engagement
This focus area strengthens the City’s response to conditions associated with unsheltered homel essness while continuing to support people experiencing homelessness compassionately. Strategies include formalizing the City's encampment response practices and increasing transparency through community awareness, engagement, and involvement in the City’s homelessness response. Together, these efforts directly support Goal 2 by advancing a compassionate, coordinated response to the impacts of unsheltered homelessness, connecting people experi encing homelessness to services and resources while engaging the broader community as part of the solution.
Strategy 3.1: Strengthen and standardize the City’s process for managing and addressing encampments in public spaces through a formal Administrative Policy and data-informed performance measures.
o Activity 1: Codify the City’s current Encampment Management Standard Operating Procedure in Administrative Policy.
Target
• Codify the City’s existing Encampment Management Standard Operating Procedure as an Administrative Policy by December 30, 2026, establishing a consistent, transparent, and data-informed framework for encampment response and resolution.
Implementation Timeline
• Year
1 (2026 – 2027): Draft Administrative Policy
• Year 2 – 5 (2027 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• Staff Time
o Activity 2: Develop workload and performance measures for encampment abatements.
Target
• Develop and implement workload and performance measures for Attachment 2
encampment abatements by September 2027, including
measures of staff time, response and resolution timelines, outreach and service connections, costs, and housing outcomes. Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Draft workload and performance measures • Year 2 – 5 (2027 – 2031): Ongoing Implementation
Funding Source
• Staff Time
Strategy 3.2: Strengthen community awareness, engagement, and involvement regarding homelessness, housing challenges, and the City’s homelessness response efforts.
o Activity 1: Develop a community education campaign to increase public awareness and understanding of homelessness, housing challenges, and the City’s homelessness response efforts.
Target
• Launch a community education campaign by 2027 and conduct at least two public education activities annually (e.g., Horizon article) to increase awareness of homelessness, housing challenges, available resources, and the City’s homelessness response efforts.
Implementation Timeline
• Year
1 (2026 – 2027): Develop outreach and educational
campaign and materials
• Year 2 (2027 – 2028): Launch campaign and conduct outreach activities
• Year 3 – 5 (2028 – 2031): Ongoing
Funding Source
• Staff Time
o Activity 2: Establish a homelessness advisory committee to advise on the implementation of the Response Plan.
Target
• Establish a diverse staff advisory committee by 2027 to provide ongoing input on the implementation of the Plan. Implementation Timeline
• Year 1 (2026 – 2027): Determine Scope of Work, Conduct Outreach
• Year 2 – 5 (2027 – 2031): Establish committee, Convene Meetings According to Cadence
Funding Source
• Staff Time
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Plan Costs, Funding, and Prioritization
While the City cannot implement every program or service identified through community engagement, the Plan prioritizes initiatives based on expected community impact, operational feasibility, available funding, opportunities to leverage outside resources, and long-term sustainability.
The estimated cost of implementing the initiatives identified in the Plan is approximately $40 million over the five-year Plan period, including capital expenditures and program operating costs. The table below shows the costs for the programs that require funding.
Table 3. Costing Table Estimates For All Plan Activities Program &
Activity
Annual
Operating Cost
Capital / One-
Time Costs
Total Cost
(Five-Year Plan
Period)
Strategy 1.2 – Activity 1
Home Repair — low-income
homeowner rehabilitation and
emergency repair grants
$500,000 N/A $2,500,000
Strategy 2.2 – Activity 1
Tenant Based Rental Assistance $1,350,000 N/A
$6,750,000
Strategy 2.2 – Activity 2
Inclement Weather Hotel Program* $148,828 N/A $744,140
Strategy 2.3 – Activity 1
Low-Barrier Interim Housing $1,600,000 $12,000,000 $16,800,000 Strategy 2.3 – Activity 2
Safe Parking Program $700,000 $6,000,000 $8,100,000
Strategy 2.3 – Activity 3
RV Permit Parking Program $125,000 $90,000 $715,000
Strategy 2.4 – Activity 2
Street Outreach and Essential
Services (Street Outreach, DoW,
THP)
$909,780 N/A $4,548,900
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Strategy 3.2 – Activity 1
Community Education Campaign N/A $50,000 50,000
Estimated Total $5,333,608 $18,140,000 $40,208,040
*The Inclement Weather Program is now part of the Street Outreach and Essential Services Budget
Whi
le funding has been identified for many of the activities covered in the Plan, current and anticipated resources do not fully cover all program costs. As a result, funding gaps remain for certain activities. Specifically, the Safe Parking Program has an estimated funding gap of $2.3 million over the five-year Plan period.
Im
plementation will be phased based on funding availability, operational capacity, community need, site availability, and the ability to secure sustainable funding. The City will continue to pursue federal, State, County, and other external funding opportunities before relying on additional local resources.
City Staffing Needs
If Council approves the plan and implements all proposed new programs, the City may need up to 2.0 FTE positions at the Housing Specialist II equivalent, at an estimated cost of $8.6 million over 20 years. Staff will refine this estimate and address any additional staffing needs through the regular budget cycle.
Attachment 2
Glossary
Affordable Housing – Housing that is affordable to households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income, with rent and housing costs (utility payments, taxes, insurance, homeowner association fees, etc.) not exceeding 30% of household income. Affordable income categories (e.g. very low, low, moderate, and above moderate) are based on percentages of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the County of Santa Clara.
Behavioral Health Services – Mental health and substance use treatment and support services.
Coordinated Entry - A countywide process that assesses the needs of people experiencing homelessness and connects them to the housing and supportive service resources best suited to their circumstances.
Interim Housing – Temporary shelter options including navigation centers, tiny homes, or Safe Parking sites, designed to stabilize people in route to permanent housing.
Safe Parking Program – A managed program allowing individuals living in vehicles to park overnight in designated lots with access to services.
Street Outreach – Street Outreach teams are focused on engaging people living outdoors and connecting them to crisis interventions, medical and behavioral health care, permanent housing, and basic needs items such as food and clothing.
Supportive Housing – A combination of affordable, permanent housing and supportive services to help individuals and families maintain housing stability and address their specific needs Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) – A form of short-term rental subsidy provided directly to tenants to assist with housing affordability.
Vulnerability Index – Service Prioritization Decision Assessment Tool (VI-SPDAT): The VI-SPDAT is a triage tool. It highlights areas of higher acuity, thereby helping to inform people about the type of support and housing intervention that may be most beneficial to improve long term housing outcomes. It also helps inform the order- or priority - in which people should be served in settings such as Coordinated Entry.
Attachment 2
Appendices
Appendix A: County of Santa Clara Supportive Housing System A “homeless response system” refers to the coordinated network of programs, services, and partners that work together to prevent and address homelessness within a Continuum of Care. This system typically includes outreach, homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, interim housing, supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing, as well as the assessment, referral, and placement processes that connect households to appropriate resources.
In S
anta Clara County, this homeless response system is called the County’s “Supportive Housing System.” The
diagram below illustrates the primary pathways through the County’s Supportive Housing System, showing how households access housing and supportive services.
Attachment 2
Appendix B: Funding Sources & Uses
Table B - 1. Existing Funding Sources & Uses
Funding Name Source Purpose Current Use Annual
Expenditures
General Fund/Other
City Funds City of Sunnyvale
Core services, capital
projects, general
government, public works,
public safety
Street outreach, mobile
hygiene, non-
congregate shelter
program, inclement
weather hotel program
$$$
Housing Mitigation
Fund* City of Sunnyvale
Funding collected from local
commercial and residential
development fees (e.g., BMR
in-lieu fees) are used to
support the creation of
affordable housing.
Affordable housing
development in
Sunnyvale
$$$$
Redevelopment
Funds/Low Mod
Fund
City of Sunnyvale
Affordable housing
development; homeless
services including Rapid
Rehousing and case
management
Tenant-Based Rental
Assistance (TBRA)
program administration
and affordable housing
$
Permanent Local
Housing Allocation
(PLHA)
CA Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
Funding for housing-related
projects and programs that
assist in addressing the
unmet housing needs in local
communities
Homeless Services
including case
management, street
outreach, development
and/or operating interim
housing; home
improvement program;
affordable housing
development
$
Community
Development Block
Grant (CDBG)
HUD
Public infrastructure, public
services, economic
development, housing
activities
Human services
programs, economic
development, home
improvement programs
$$$
HOME Investment
Partnerships
Program
HUD
Create and preserve
affordable housing for low -
income households; tenant -
based rental assistance
TBRA program
subsidies, utility
payments & housing
deposits
$$$
HOME Investment
Partnerships
American Rescue
Plan Program
(HOME-ARP)
HUD
Supports housing stability for
people experiencing or at -
risk of homelessness and
other vulnerable populations
TBRA program $$$
*Funds are generally provided through a biennial NOFA
Key
$=$0-$499,999
$$= $500,000-$999,999
$$$=$1,000,000-$10,000,000
$$$$=10,000,000+
Attachment 2
Ta
ble B-2. Future Funding Sources & Proposed Uses
Funding Name Source Purpose Proposed Use Expected Investment Opioid Resettlement
Funding
CA Department of
Health Care Services
(DHCS)
Substance use
prevention, treatment,
recovery, and related
supportive services
for populations
impacted by the
opioid crisis
Capital Funding for
Interim Housing
Development and
Onsite Behavioral
Health Staff
$$$$
Encampment
Resolution Funding
(ERF)
CA Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
Encampment
resolution through
shelter, housing,
relocation assistance,
and supportive
services
Capital Funding for
Interim Housing
Development
$$$
Prohousing Incentive
Program (PIP)
CA Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
Housing and
community
development
activities in
jurisdictions with
Prohousing
Designation, including
affordable housing
and homelessness
programs
Capital Funding for
Interim Housing
Development $$$
Key
$=$0-$499,999
$$= $
500,000-$999,999
$$$=$1,000,000-$10,000,000
$$$$=10,000,000+
Attachment 2
Appendix C: Encampment Cleanup and Mitigation Activities The City contracts with Tucker Construction to conduct encampment cleanup and abatement activities associated with Sunnyvale's public spaces. Table C-1 summarizes tracked cleanup activity from FY 2024-25 through FY 2026-27 year-to-date (YTD), including the number of completed cleanups, estimated volume of waste removed, and cleanup activity at repeat locations.
Table C – 1: City of Sunnyvale Cleanup Activity
Fiscal Year Completed
Cleanups
Estimated
Waste
Removed
Repeat
Sites
Additional
Cleanups at
Repeat Sites
FY 2024-25 20 201 CY 3 4
FY 2025-26 17 249 CY 3 7
FY 2026-27 YTD* 2 60 CY 1 1
Total 39 510 CY - 12
*FY 2026-27 YTD is through August 6, 2026.
During this period, the City completed 39 cleanup activities and removed an estimated 510 cubic yards (CY) of waste. The data also demonstrate that cleanup needs are not limited to one-time occurrences. The City conducted 12 additional cleanups at previously addressed locations, indicating recurring cleanup needs at several locations throughout the City.
In a
ddition to tracking cleanup activity, the City monitors expenditures associated with encampment mitigation efforts. Table C-2 summarizes actual mitigation expenditures from FY 2023-24 through FY 2026-27 year-to-date (YTD), providing additional context on the resources dedicated to addressing impacts associated with encampments and unsheltered homelessness in public spaces. Staff time to conduct mitigation activities has not been included in this table due to the complexity of quantifying this data.
Ta
ble C –2 City of Sunnyvale Mitigation Expenses
Fiscal Year Actual Mitigation Expenditures
FY 2023-24 $58,620.22
FY 2024-25 $50,967.28
FY 2025-26 $32,545.31
FY 2026-27 YTD* $2,457.64
Four-year total $144,590.45
Attachment 2
*FY 2026-27 YTD is through August 6, 2026.
From FY 2023-24 through August 6, 2026, the City expended approximately $144,590, not including City staff time, on mitigation activities, reflecting the ongoing resources required to respond to encampment-related conditions in public spaces.
Attachment 2
Appendix D: Community Engagement Summary
To inform the development of the Plan, the City conducted a comprehensive community engagement process between January and April 2026. Outreach efforts were designed to gather input from a broad range of stakeholders, including community members, service providers, advocates, school districts, County representatives, City staff, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness.
Community engagement activities included:
• Two hybrid community meetings held at City Hall with Spanish and Mandarin interpretation services available.
• Sixteen stakeholder interviews with nonprofit service providers, advocates, school districts, County staff, and City staff.
• 158 online surveys completed by community members, service providers, and individuals with lived experience.
• 63 in-person surveys conducted with individuals experiencing homelessness.
These outreach efforts aimed to identify community priorities, understand service gaps and barriers, and inform the strategies and actions included in this Strategic Plan.
Stakeholder Participation Engaged
The City engaged a diverse group of stakeholders representing housing, homelessness services, education, public health, advocacy, local government, and people with lived experience. Table D - 1 provides details on the different stakeholders engaged.
Table D – 1 Summary of Stakeholder Organizations
Stakeholder Type Organizations Represented
County Partners Office of Supportive Housing, Homelessness Prevention System
Service Providers WeHOPE, Sunnyvale Community Services, Helping Hands, LifeMoves, Loaves and Fishes,
Nextdoor Solutions, Catholic Charities
School Districts Sunnyvale Elementary School District (SESD), Cupertino Union School District (CUSD),
Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD)
Advocacy Organizations Livable Sunnyvale
City Departments Community Development, Library and Recreation Services, Office of the City Manager
Community Survey Questions
The City distributed an online Community Survey through its Homelessness Response webpage to gather community input on homelessness -related needs and priorities. The survey included the following questions:
Attachment 2
Q
1. Which of the following best describes your connection to Sunnyvale? (Select all that apply.)
☐ I live in Sunnyvale
☐ I work in Sunnyvale
☐ I own a business in Sunnyvale
☐ I attend school in Sunnyvale
☐ I use services in Sunnyvale
☐ Other (please specify): ________
Q2. What experience do you have with homelessness? (Select all that apply) • Unhoused individuals live by my neighborhood, business, or employment • I work or volunteer to provide food, housing, or other assistance to unhoused individuals • I know people who are experiencing homelessness
• I am currently experiencing homelessness or have experienced homelessness in the past.
• I don’t have direct experience with homelessness or individuals experiencing homelessness, but I care about the issue.
Q3. What do you think are the three most difficult barriers to securing stable housing for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness? (Select three) • Lack of affordable housing
• Insufficient income or employment
• Mental health challenges
• Substance use disorders
• Lack of supportive services
• Limited availability of housing vouchers
• History with legal/justice system
• Physical health or disability
• Rental History, Credit, or Eviction Barriers
• Family or household size considerations
• Other (please specify): _________________
Q4. What do you think are the five most needed services to address homelessness in the City of Sunnyvale? (Select five)
• Affordable housing
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Emergency shelter
• Interim housing (e.g. tiny homes)
• Rapid Rehousing or other short -term rental assistance programs • Street outreach and engagement
• Navigation center ((non)congregate shelter with supportive services) • Mental health services
• Substance use treatment
• Homelessness prevention or eviction prevention services Attachment 2
• Healthcare services
• Food/nutrition services
• Mobile hygiene services (showers, bathrooms, laundry) • Employment, job training, and education services
• Help accessing benefits
• Legal and justice -related support
• Specialized support for specific groups (e.g. veterans, domestic violence survivors, LGBTQIA+)
• Transportation Assistance
• Financial Resources
• Universal Basic Income
• Other (please specify): ________
Q5. What approaches do you think would best support people experiencing homelessness while also addressing any community concerns (if any) you might have? (Open-ended) Q6. To assist those who are currently residing in an RV, which of the following programs would you support (Select all that apply):
• RV Buy Back Program
• Interim Housing
• Long Term Rental Unit
• Permanent Supportive Housing
• Not Sure/Need More Information
• Other (please specify): ______________
Perspectives Across Stakeholder Groups
While several priorities emerged consistently across all engagement activities, different stakeholder groups emphasized different aspects of the homelessness response system based on their experiences and roles. Community members often focused on visible solutions and quality-of-life concerns, individuals with lived experience emphasized daily survival needs and barriers to accessing services, and providers, advocates, and public agencies focused on system effectiveness, coordination, and long-term housing outcomes. Table D-2 summarizes the primary priorities each stakeholder group identified.
Table D – 2 Summary of Stakeholder Primary Priorities
Community People with Lived Experience Service Providers More affordable housing and
permanent supportive housing
More access to
transportation, hygiene
services, and safe places to
stay
Stronger homelessness
prevention efforts to
reduce inflow into
homelessness
Additional shelter, interim
housing, and safe parking options
Easier access to services and
housing navigation support
Better coordination among
providers, the County, and local
jurisdictions
Attachment 2
Greater transparency,
accountability and measurable
results
More consistent case
management and support
services
Increased housing opportunities
and housing pathways
Increased community
education and volunteer
opportunities
More employment and income-
building opportunities
Improved performance
measurement, data
collection, and public
reporting
Address visible homelessness in
public spaces while maintaining
compassionate responses
Better access to mental health,
substance use, and healthcare
services
Expanded system capacity and
resources to meet growing needs
Shared Priorities and Key Findings
Staff synthesized feedback from community meetings, stakeholder interviews, surveys, and individuals with lived experience to identify common priorities and recurring themes across all engagement activities.
While different groups emphasized different issues, five key findings emerged consistently throughout the engagement process.
1. Housing and Shelter Remain the Highest Community Priority: The strongest and most consistent finding across all stakeholder groups was the need to expand housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. Participants supported increasing affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and housing pathways that help individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing. Community members and stakeholders also supported expanding interim housing options, including hotel -based emergency shelter, non-congregate shelter models, and safe parking programs. Many participants felt that existing housing and shelter resources are beneficial but insufficient to meet current community needs.
2. Homelessness Prevention Is Critical to Reducing Future Homelessness: Participants consistently emphasized that preventing homelessness should be a core component of the City's response.
3. Basic Needs and Service Access Remain Significant Challenges : Individuals with lived experience frequently identified barriers related to transportation, hygiene services, communication tools, and access to information. Participants described challenges navigating available services, maintaining appointments, obtaining documentation, and accessing housing resources. Frequently identified needs included restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, transportation assistance, and stronger case management support. These findings highlighted the importance of meeting immediate needs while helping individuals navigate pathways toward housing stability.
4. Housing Stability Requires Supportive Services and System Coordination : Community members, providers, and individuals with lived experience emphasized that housing interventions are most effective when paired with supportive services. Participants identified behavioral health services, substance use treatment, healthcare, employment assistance, workforce development, and ongoing case management as important components of long - term housing stability. Stakeholders also emphasized the need for stronger coordination Attachment 2
among the City, County, nonprofit providers, schools, and other community partners to improve service delivery and reduce system fragmentation.
5. Community Members Want Greater Engagement, Transparency, and Accountability:
Participants expressed interest in ongoing opportunities to engage with homelessness issues beyond the planning process. Community members requested additional education regarding the causes of homelessness, available services, program outcomes, and opportunities for volunteer involvement. Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of transparent reporting, measurable outcomes, and regular updates regarding progress toward the City's homelessness goals. Many participants expressed a desire to better understand how homelessness programs are performing and how public investments contribute to community outcomes.
Co
mmunity-Identified Gaps and Needs
In addition to identifying priorities, community engagement efforts revealed several recurring gaps, barriers, and unmet needs that participants believed contribute to homelessness and housing instability in Sunnyvale. While not all identified needs fall within the City's direct authority or available resources, these findings helped inform the Homelessness Response Plan and identify areas for future collaboration and advocacy.
•
Housing and Shelter Capacity: Participants consistently identified a shortage of affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and interim housing options.
Community members, providers, and individuals with lived experience expressed concern that existing housing and shelter resources are insufficient to meet current demand, resulting in prolonged periods of homelessness and limited pathways to housing.
• Basic Needs Infrastructure: Many participants identified limited access to restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and other hygiene services as a significant challenge for people experiencing homelessness. Community members and service providers also noted the need for additional sanitation resources and trash disposal options in areas where unsheltered homelessness is concentrated.
• Tr
ansportation and Service Accessibility: Individuals with lived experience frequently identified transportation as a barrier to accessing services, employment, healthcare, and housing Attachment 2
Appendix E: 2025-2026 Affordable Housing Pipeline
Table E - 1. 2025 – 2026 City of Sunnyvale Affordable Housing Pipeline Development
Name
Expected
Completion
Total
Affordable
Units
Permanent
Supportive
Housing
Units
Other
Supportive
Housing
Type
Financing
/Program
Total
Development
Cost
City
Investment
245 W Weddell
Dr 2028 121 31 Fa mily,
PSH
TCAC,
H M F,
Measure A,
NPLH
$124,227,055 $10,000,000
1171
Sonora Ct 2030 170 34 Fa mily,
PSH
PLHA,
HMF
$180,515,216
(estimated) $14,533,000
777 Sunnyvale
Saratoga Rd TBD TBD N/A TBD TBD TBD TBD N/A
295 S Mathilda
Av TBD 110 N/A 27 TBD H M F, T B D TBD $8,825,000
Total 566 141 $33,358,000
Attachment 2