Attachment A
Letter of support for
Assembly Bill 1708
760.955.5000
http://victorvilleca.gov
14343 Civic Drive
P.O. Box 5001
Victorville, California 92393-5001
CITY OF
VICTORVILLE
February 26, 2026
The Honorable José Luis Solache
California State Assembly
1020 N St. Rm. 5110
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: AB 1708 (Solache) HHAP Pathways for Cities Act.
Notice of SUPPORT (As Introduced 2/4/2026)
Dear Assembly Member Solache,
The City of Victorville is pleased to support AB 1708 (Solache), which would establish a new pathway for cities with populations under 300,000 to access state homelessness funding. The City also recommends the inclusion of language that would allow a city -adopted homelessness action plan, when aligned with regional goals, to be recognized in lieu of a regionally coordinated homelessness action plan.
Supporting flexibility for jurisdictions to implement locally developed, regionally consistent plans acknowledge the City’s ability to design targeted, data-driven responses to address its unique needs while contributing to broader regional outcomes. Such action would reinforce the City’s role in pursuing innovative, accountable, and collaborative solutions that deliver measurable results for both the community and the region as a whole.
Since 2019, the state’s flagship homelessness initiative, the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Grant program, has provided direct funding to cities with populations over 300,000, all 58 counties, and the state’s 44 Continuums of Care (CoCs).
This structure has left most cities without a consistent pathway to access HHAP funding, despite investing significant General Fund resources to prevent and reduce homelessness in their communities. AB 1708 would address this by creating a new opportunity for the 469 California cities with populations under 300,000 to apply for HHAP funding through their CoC.
Specifically, AB 1708 would require CoCs, before allocating funding to other subrecipients in their region, to accept applications for 30 days only from cities with populations under 300,000. This measure would strike a reasonable balance between access and accountability, requiring interested cities to commit to regionally coordinated action plans and adhere to state housing and encampment policies.
AB 1708 would also require CoCs to prioritize applications from cities that have existing partnerships with non-profits, other cities, or have already leveraged state and local funding for existing projects in their communities. This would ensure that limited state resources are deployed efficiently and deliver measurable results in reducing homelessness.
The City of Victorville would significantly benefit from additional HHAP funding to sustain operations at the 170-bed Victorville Wellness Center campus, expand rapid rehousing and landlord engagement, strengthen housing navigation and tenancy support, enhance coordinated entry data performance, and improve housing-focused encampment resolution. Additional state funding would reduce reliance on limited local resources while increasing exits to permanent housing and reducing unsheltered homelessness.
Victorville has implemented a proactive, housing-first, data-driven response centered on the Victorville Wellness Center, which integrates interim housing, outreach, case management, behavioral health partnerships, and regional Continuum of Care coordinati on. The City pairs structured, humane encampment policies with outreach and shelter access to create sustainable pathways off the streets.
The City has made substantial financial and operational investments to address homelessness, including acquiring and developing a dedicated campus; committing local funds for operations and staffing; leveraging Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF), Community Development Block Grant ( CDBG), and Permanent Local Housing Allocation ( PLHA) resources; launching rapid rehousing and motel bridge programs ; establishing a city -led outreach team ; and creating a Homelessness Solutions Division to oversee coordination, compliance, and grant administration.
These actions reflect the City’s long -term commitment to reducing homelessness through sustained infrastructure, strong partnerships, and measurable outcomes.
As the Governor and the Legislature consider future investments in the HHAP program, it is important to ensure the program is structured to maximize its reach and impact. Providing all cities with a pathway to participate in HHAP would strengthen regional collaboration and ensure state resources are deployed where they can most effectively serve unhoused Californians.
Local governments are uniquely situated to determine which programs and partnerships will deliver the greatest impact within their communities. AB 1708 recognizes this by creating a clearly defined opportunity for cities of all sizes to compete for state resources, ensuring that every community can play a meaningful role in the state’s homelessness response efforts.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth "Liz" Becerra
Mayor
City of Victorville
cc. Suzette Martinez Valladares, California Senator
Juan Carillo, California Assemblymember
Tom Lackey, California Assemblymember
Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development Assembly Committee on Human Services
Victorville City Council
Keith C. Metzler, City Manager
Scott Webb, Deputy City Manager
Jenele Davidson, Deputy City Manager
Tony Camargo, Deputy City Manager
Andre de Bortnowsky, City Attorney
League Regional Public Affairs Manager (via email)
League of California Cities, [email protected]