Item Number: 12
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: March 3, 2026
Submitted By:
Alex Jauregui, City Planner
Subject:
Letter of Support for Assembly Bill 1708 (Solache) – HHAP Pathways for Cities Act Recommendation:
That the Honorable City Council:
(1) Authorize the Mayor to submit a letter of support for Assembly Bill 1708, including language recommending that a city-adopted homelessness strategic plan, aligned with regional goals, be recognized as satisfying applicable regional planning requirements; and
(2) Authorize staff to transmit the letter of support to the bill author, the City’s State legislative representatives, collaborating organizations, and through the State’s electronic advocacy portal.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this action. However, passage of AB 1708 could significantly enhance the City’s opportunity to access Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Round 7 funding to support local homelessness response efforts.
Strategic Plan Goal:
This item aligns with Goal D of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan; specifically, strategies three (3) and five (5), which state that in order to achieve the goal of reducing homelessness, the City should:
Expand on the existing homelessness outreach network to effectively engage the homeless community in services; and
Strengthen collaboration with the County and other entities to identify new funding opportunities and expand partnerships for homelessness services. 4 5
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Inasmuch as the proposed Assembly Bill would create a new pathway for cities with populations under 300,000 to access HHAP Round 7 funding through their Continuum of Care (CoC), support for AB 1708 is intended to expand homelessness outreach efforts, strengthen collaboration with San Bernardino County, and increase access to additional resources.
Background:
Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program Overview Existing law establishes the HHAP program for the purpose of providing jurisdictions with grant funds to support regional coordination and expand or develop local capacity to address their immediate homelessness challenges. It also allocates program funding to continuums of care, cities, counties, and tribes across six (6) rounds. Rounds 1 through 5 are administered by the Interagency Council on Homelessness while Round 6 is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, as specified.
Additionally, law currently establishes Round 7 of the program and expresses the Legislature’s intent to adopt future legislation defining its parameters.
Effective July 1, 2026, existing law appropriates $500,000,000, for Round 7 of the program, to be disbursed in accordance with specified requirements. Funds may be distributed to a city, county, tribe, or continuum of care only after the initial disbursement of Round 6 funds is substantially complete and at least 50% of total Round 6 awards have been obligated. The law further requires the department, during the 2025–26 fiscal year, to prepare for administration of Round 7, with the goal of making initial disbursements available to eligible grantees meeting the statutory provisions for disbursement beginning September 1, 2026.
Current HHAP Eligibility Requirements
Currently, cities with populations under 300,000 must apply and compete with other subrecipients within the Continuum of Care (CoC). There is no prioritization for cities that are actively providing services or leveraging local resources.
Assembly Bill 1708, authored by Assemblymember José Luis Solache, Jr. and titled the HHAP Pathways for Cities Act, would update HHAP funding eligibility to require Continuums of Care receiving Round 7 funds to accept applications from cities with populations under 300,000 before allocating funds to other regional subrecipients.
Discussion:
AB 1708 Proposal
Cities with populations under 300,000 face significant homelessness challenges yet often rely heavily on local funds to address them. AB 1708 recognizes that these smaller jurisdictions are essential partners in California’s homelessness response and ensures they have a clearly defined opportunity to compete for state resources. If HHAP funding 4 5
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were made available to smaller jurisdictions, these funding allocations would support local efforts to address homelessness such as:
Street outreach and coordinated entry participation
Interim housing and emergency shelter expansion
Rapid rehousing and housing navigation services
Encampment engagement and resolution strategies
Regional data tracking and system performance improvements By creating a defined pathway for smaller cities, AB 1708 would strengthen regional collaboration within Continuums of Care and ensure state funding reaches communities actively investing in homelessness solutions. The bill also reinforces accountability by requiring Housing Element compliance and adoption of structured encampment policies, aligning local action with statewide housing production and homelessness response goals.
AB 1708 Requirements
To be eligible for funding under this section, a jurisdiction must meet the following requirements:
(1) Adopt a resolution committing to participation in the regionally coordinated homelessness action plan and authorizing the Mayor to execute the related memorandum of understanding, following a public hearing and required public posting of the plan;
(2) Maintain a state-compliant Housing Element;
(3) Adopt a local encampment policy consistent with applicable administrative guidance; and
(4) Demonstrate alignment with program goals by showing how prior actions, programs, and funding allocations advance the objectives of the regional homelessness action plan and the HHAP Program, including efforts to prevent and reduce unsheltered homelessness.
Basis for City Support of AB 1708
AB 1708 advances equitable access to HHAP Round 7 funding while maintaining important regional coordination, accountability, and performance standards. Staff finds that the proposed framework creates a meaningful opportunity for smaller jurisdictions, such as the City of Victorville, to access additional resources that may otherwise be limited under existing structures. Specifically, the Continuum of Care will have to prioritize applications in which a smaller jurisdiction commits to utilizing Round 7 funding in partnership with a nonprofit organization, another smaller jurisdiction, or another private entity eligible for Round 7 funding.
While generally supporting AB 1708, City staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor to submit a letter of support to the bill author, the City’s State 4 5
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legislative representatives, collaborating organizations, and through the State’s electronic advocacy portal. The letter would also recommend including language recognizing a city- adopted homelessness strategic plan (aligned with regional goals) as satisfying applicable regional planning requirements.
Supporting flexibility for jurisdictions to implement locally developed, regionally consistent plans acknowledges the City’s ability to design targeted, data-driven responses that address its unique needs while contributing to broader regional outcomes. This approach reinforces the City’s commitment to pursuing innovative, accountable, and collaborative solutions that deliver measurable results for both the community and the region.
Prepared By:
William Lamas, Homelessness Solutions Manager
Attachments: A. Letter of support for Assembly Bill 1708 B. Assembly Bill 1708 as currently proposed