San Diego is bolstering its battle against the city's homelessness crisis with a sizable financial boost, as it's been granted $29.9 million from the State of California. This latest round of funding comes from the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program (HHAP-5) and is part of improving shelter space, outreach, and housing programs. The City’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department (HSSD), in collaboration with the County of San Diego and Regional Task Force on Homelessness, is to optimally utilize this grant—which happens to be the City's largest HHAP allocation yet.
The cash injection will prevent and shelter divert a portion of the homeless populace, with $4.5 million earmarked for such initiatives. There's also $17.4 million allocated for interim housing options, and another $3 million will be channeled into street outreach efforts. Nearly $3 million is proposed for continued interim housing for homeless youth. The HSSD intends to bring the proposed funding application to the City Council for approval today, opening the floor for San Diegans to have their say on how the funding should be spent.
As reported by the City of San Diego website, Mayor Todd Gloria is grateful for the state support, stating, "I want to thank the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom for their partnership in recognizing the value of San Diego’s homelessness programs and the continued need for ongoing funding to make meaningful progress in getting people off the street." Mayor Gloria emphasized the impact of the funds, affirming they "will help shelter thousands of San Diegans as we work to end their homelessness and prevent others from falling into it."
The bounty of state funds to address homelessness is not new; Since 2018, San Diego has significantly relied on HHAP grants to expand its homeless services arsenal. The previous HHAP round saw $22.5 million funneled towards the city's homelessness response, funding shelter bed expansions, safe parking programs, outreach, and rapid-rehousing programs, saving the City’s General Fund. California Big City Mayors, a bipartisan group of mayors from California's 13 largest cities led by Gloria, has placed ongoing, permanent funding for HHAP as a top-shelf priority. The coalition is hopeful to successfully lobby for a sixth round of HHAP, aiming to secure these funds as a permanent fixture in their budgetary plans for combating homelessness.
