City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 7 July 28, 2026
Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 6.3
DATE: July 28, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Receive an Informational Report on Union City's Homelessness Response Efforts – July 2026
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and accept this informational report on the City’s homelessness response efforts. City Council is invited to ask any clarifying questions and/or to provide direction to staff on the programs staff should focus on, especially if the focus is different than what has been outlined.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This informational report is in alignment with the following City Council Priority:
Goal C: Economic, Community Development, and Public Safety Strategy 3: Assess needs and identify appropriate services to support unhoused individuals and families, in collaboration with community organizations and the County of Alameda, and develop internal response protocols and a communications strategy to provide regular status updates to City Council, commissions, and the general public.
BACKGROUND
The City of Union City adopted a five-year Strategic Plan for FY 2019-2020 through FY 2024-2025. The Plan was updated in 2023 and continues to serve as a guide for the City Council in establishing priorities and reviewing progress on City programs and strategies.
Since the Plan’s initial adoption in 2019, the City has consistently maintained a strategy focused on developing a multi-departmental approach to homelessness through coordination with staff, community organizations, and Alameda County.
On August 23, 2025, during the City Council’s Strategic Plan Session, the Council reaffirmed its priority goal area and strategic initiative to support unhoused individuals and families and to establish internal response protocols to address homelessness.
Agenda Item No. 6.3
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Alameda County Home Together1 is Alameda County’s strategic plan for building a coordinated homeless response system that can meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness and reduce racial disparities. In 2022, the Home Together 2026 Community Plan was adopted by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the Conference of Mayors, the Oakland-Berkeley-Alameda County Continuum of Care, and cities across the county. The plan outlines strategies and action steps shaped by input from people with lived experience, system leaders, service providers, and partners in the homelessness response system.
Prioritized programs and projects2 include:
• Prevent homelessness for our residents
• Connect people to shelter and needed resources
• Increase housing solutions
• Strengthen coordination, communication, and capacity (across partners and systems)
• One-time capital investments
This person-centric service model coordinates with Alameda County's initiatives, ensuring a unified response that addresses disparities and maximizes resource sharing across jurisdictions.
DISCUSSION
To best serve the unhoused community of Union City, staff strive to understand existing conditions and gather reliable data to respond effectively and efficiently.
Every two years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) requires communities to conduct a Point-in-Time (“PIT”) Count of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. This reliable data informs program, policy, and funding decisions, ensuring transparency and trust in our efforts.
The Union City Homeless Program staff, in coordination with Alameda County Housing and Community Development and Health Care for the Homeless, conducted the biannual event on January 22, 2026, from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM. To effectively engage the unhoused community in the morning hours, the effort relies on City staff and volunteers.
This year, 26 volunteers and City staff participated.
The 2026 PIT Count preliminary data was released on May 19, 2026, by Alameda County Health, Housing, and Homelessness Services.3 Countywide, Alameda County experienced a 13% reduction in homelessness, decreasing from 9,450 individuals in 2024 to 8,201 individuals in 2026. The South County region, which includes Fremont, Newark, and Union City, remained relatively stable, with the homeless population decreasing from 1 Alameda County Home Together 2026, 5-year Plan to End Homelessness, https://homelessness.acgov.org/homelessness-assets/docs/reports/Home-Together-2026_Report_051022.pdf 2 Alameda County Health, Homelessness Prevention Framework A Companion to the Home Together Community Plan, https://homelessness.acgov.org/homelessness-assets/docs/ACH_Homelessness-PreventionFramework_021825.pdf 3 Alameda County Health, Housing, and Homelessness Services, 2026 Point-in-Time Count: Initial Results, https://weblink.alamedacountyca.gov/ACHHS/DocView.aspx?id=484&dbid=0&repo=ACH-DocumentLibrary&cr=1 Agenda Item No. 6.3
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1,074 individuals in 2024 to 1,064 individuals in 2026.
Table 1: 2026 Point-In-Time Count for Alameda County by Region Source: Alameda County Health, Housing and Homelessness Services, 2026 Point-in-Time Count: Initial Results, May 19, 2026 Union City experienced a notable decline in homelessness, with the number of individuals counted decreasing from 191 in 2024 to 141 in 2026, representing a reduction of approximately 26%.
Table 2: 2026 Point-in-Time Count for Fremont, Hayward, Newark, and Union City Source: Alameda County Health, Housing and Homelessness Services, 2026 Point-in-Time Count: Initial Results, May 19, 2026 The City offers several programs and support services for the unhoused community and those at-risk of homelessness, which align with Union City’s Strategic Plan and the Alameda County Home Together Plan, including:
A. CAREavan Program: Since June 2016, a cornerstone of Union City’s homelessness efforts is the CAREavan Safe Parking Program, which provides families and/or individuals residing in their vehicles a safe place to park overnight, seven days a week, at five different locations throughout the City – three community centers and two churches. The CAREavan Program is funded through Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant funds and the General Fund.
As of July 1, 2025, through June 1, 2026, the CAREavan Program has served 80 registered vehicles, which equate to 100 adults, 21 children, and 27 pets. On average, there are approximately 22 vehicles and 25-30 individuals per night. The number of CAREavan contacts and interactions made by Homeless Program staff is estimated at 1,325. Although not all participants in CAREavan wish to be registered into Alameda County's Coordinated Entry system, Homeless Management Information System (“HMIS”), they still have access to basic resources and case management services provided by the Homeless Program staff.
Agenda Item No. 6.3
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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the CAREavan Program. The program began as an initiative to provide a safe overnight parking location for a small number of families experiencing housing instability. Over the past decade, CAREavan has expanded significantly in scope and services. The program now provides participants with case management support, access to restrooms, familyfocused activities, and a structured environment that promotes stability and a sense of normalcy for individuals and families enrolled. Over the past 10 years, CAREavan has served 474 vehicles and 881 individuals (630 adults, 251 children, and 94 pets). To recognize this milestone, staff is planning a small commemorative event later this year to acknowledge the program’s evolution, accomplishments, and continued service to the community.
B. Case Management: Personalized support is provided through individual assessments that identify each participant’s housing, shelter, and service needs, along with connections to health advocacy, social services, and legal resources.
Staff work closely with each CAREavan participant, requiring at least one case management meeting per month to ensure ongoing engagement and support.
Although City staff have limited access to HMIS, they can complete crisis and housing assessments specifically for CAREavan Program participants and street outreach. This ensures each individual has a documented profile demonstrating engagement and receiving assistance, while allowing staff to track needs, services provided, and progress over time.
C. Outreach and Engagement Services: Homeless Program staff actively engage with unhoused individuals to connect them to essential services that support immediate well-being and promote long-term stability. Through partnerships with Abode Services and Tiburcio Vásquez Health Center, clients are connected to critical health care, housing navigation, and supportive services tailored to their individual needs. In addition, staff assist individuals in obtaining vital documents, such as birth certificates and California identification cards, as well as food, snacks, hygiene supplies, and other necessities. These services are intended to reduce barriers to housing and supportive services while helping individuals work toward greater stability.
This fiscal year, the Homeless Program staff conducted 595 outreach contacts.
These efforts reflect ongoing field-based engagement aimed at connecting individuals experiencing homelessness with appropriate services and supports.
Staff proactively conduct outreach at least twice per week at known encampment locations and in areas commonly frequented by unhoused individuals, including transit stops and industrial districts. In addition to scheduled outreach efforts, staff respond to reports of new encampments and conduct outreach within 24 to 48 hours of receiving notification. These efforts are intended to connect individuals with available services, assess needs, and address community concerns promptly.
In an effort to conduct targeted outreach to the unhoused population, staff launched community pop-up events this fiscal year. In partnership with Tiburcio Vasquez and Abode Services, eight pop-up events were hosted. These events intend to increase service accessibility and strengthen connections between Agenda Item No. 6.3
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vulnerable residents and available community-based support systems. These events provide participants with direct access to housing navigation, case management, health services, and other supportive resources. On June 25, 2026, the Homeless Program team hosted a pop-up event from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Union City Library. A total of six individuals attended and were connected to resources and support services.
D. Encampment Response (Property Abatement & Clean-Up): During Fiscal Year 2025-2026, through an interdepartmental approach, Union City’s Homelessness Taskforce, represented by the City Manager’s Office, Public Works, Police, Community and Recreation Services, Economic and Community Development, and Information Technology Departments, has worked collectively to address the complex issues related to homelessness in Union City. Working alongside external partners such as Union Pacific Railroad (“UPRR”), BART, the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, local businesses, and other entities, the Homelessness Taskforce supported 32 encampment abatements and blight cleanups citywide from July 1, 2025, through June 1, 2026. An example of these collaborative efforts, in partnership with the City of Fremont, was a multi-agency response to address the encampment at Old Alameda Creek.
Through this joint effort, eleven (11) unhoused individuals (from Union City) were relocated from the site and connected to an interim shelter and services. This response was supported through Union City’s decision to pool its HHAP Round 6 allocation of $241,172 with the City of Fremont. These funds enabled approximately 5-6 months of temporary shelter (from November 2025 to April 2026), as well as case management services and program oversight for the cohort.
The Union City cohort demonstrated strong engagement and stabilization throughout their participation in the interim shelter program. Of the eight individuals who formally enrolled, six completed the full program, reflecting a 73 percent retention rate and a high level of consistency in service participation. Half of all enrolled participants continued their progress by engaging in long-term case management services offered either by the City of Fremont or partner agencies such as Abode Services, Bay Area Community Services (“BACS”), LifeSteps, or FESCO/La Familia.
Participants also experienced several early and meaningful gains in stability. One individual secured employment shortly after entering the program, signaling a positive shift toward self-sufficiency. At the same time, another transitioned to Sunrise Village emergency shelter within two weeks of their program exit, ensuring continuity of care and housing support. Although two individuals ultimately declined ongoing case management, they continued to receive daily wellness checks and support through nightly meal deliveries, ensuring that safety and basic needs were still regularly addressed.
Next Steps
The Homeless Program Division will continue to provide quarterly staff reports to the City Council to keep the City Council informed of current initiatives and trends.
Agenda Item No. 6.3
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Staff is also reviewing opportunities for projects to utilize Measure W funding for South County. The Measure W Home Together Fund (“HTF”) will provide an estimated $1.4 billion to advance the Home Together Plan. Currently, the County is gathering feedback from regional meetings to support Measure W implementation and is working with cities/regions to support shared priorities. The Homeless Program team, CRS Director, City Manager’s Office, and Mayor Gary Singh participated in the Home Together Regional Meeting for South County on March 30, 2026. The goal was to facilitate cross-connection between the City/County Technical Working Group and City and County leadership. It is anticipated that more information on future funding opportunities will become available in the fall quarter.
Homeless Program staff also coordinated with the Economic and Community Development Department on April 14, 2026, by submitting an application for a Request for Qualifications (RFQ No. ACH-900626) for the Alameda County Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool to be considered for contracting services in the following areas:
1. Health and Supportive Services; and
2. Homelessness Prevention Services.
The Homeless Program and Economic and Community Development staff work collaboratively to determine how best to allocate local and federal funding for homeless services that best meet community needs, identify barriers that prevent residents from accessing services, and address service gaps to better serve the community. By applying to become an eligible Alameda County Health (“AC Health”) Department Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool Vendor, Union City will be eligible to apply for future funding opportunities. The City anticipates receiving an update on this application before the end of the summer.
FISCAL IMPACT
This is an informational report, and there is no fiscal impact of receiving this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council receive this report, ask any clarifying questions, and provide comments.
Agenda Item No. 6.3
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Prepared by:
Jennifer Phan, Deputy City Manager
Laura Buzo, Community and Recreation Services Director
Chastity Piedade, Community Services Manager
Jesus Garcia, Homeless Program Coordinator
Submitted by: Laura Buzo, Community and Recreation Services Director Attachment
1. Alameda County Health, Housing and Homelessness Services, 2026 Point-in-Time Count: Initial Results (May 19, 2026); Available Online:
https://weblink.alamedacountyca.gov/ACHHS/DocView.aspx?id=484&dbid=0&repo= ACH-DocumentLibrary&cr=1