Acwdl - 12 13 21

December 13, 2021
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this letter is to notify All County Welfare Directors of funds available for
counties to establish, continue, and expand housing and homelessness assistance
through the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP). The Budget Act of 2021
(Senate Bill 129, Chapter 69, Statutes of 2021) appropriated a total of $285 million for
HSP in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22. This letter announces a FY 2021-22 allocation for all
fifty-eight (58) counties and the expansion of HSP eligibility to include homelessness
prevention.
December 13, 2021
LETTER TO ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS
TO: ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: CALWORKS HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM NOTICE OF

FUNDING AND EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY TO INCLUDE
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
REFERENCE: SENATE BILL (SB) 129; SB 80; ASSEMBLY BILL (AB) 135;
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE (WIC) 11330-11330.5;
8255; 8256; GOVERNMENT CODE (GOV) 8899.50; ALL COUNTY
WELFARE DIRECTOR LETTER (ACWDL) DATED JULY 19, 2021;
ACWDL DATED MAY 13, 2021; ACWDL DATED AUGUST 2,
2018; ACWDL DATED MAY 26, 2016; ALL COUNTY LETTER
(ACL) 19-114; COUNTY FISCAL LETTER (CFL) 21/22-26; CFL
21/22-05; CFL 20/21-34
The purpose of this letter is to notify All County Welfare Directors of funds available for
counties to establish, continue, and expand housing and homelessness assistance
through the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP). This letter also summarizes
recent statutory changes enacted through Assembly Bill (AB) 135 (Chapter 85, Statutes
of 2021), outlines continuing HSP requirements and guidance, and provides new
guidance on the expansion of program eligibility to include homelessness prevention.
The Budget Act of 2021 (Senate Bill 129, Chapter 69, Statutes of 2021) appropriated
$285 million for HSP, including the annual, ongoing appropriation of $95 million
available for expenditure July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023, as well as a one-time
appropriation of $190 million available for expenditure July 1, 2021 through
June 30, 2024. This letter announces availability of FY 2021-22 allocations for all fifty-
eight (58) counties. These allocations include need-based, non-competitive allocations
in addition to the Round 1 planning allocations for continuing counties as described
below.
ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTOR LETTER
Page Two
I. PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP), established by Senate Bill (SB) 855
(Chapter 29, Statutes of 2014), is intended to foster housing stability for families
experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in the CalWORKs program. Per Welfare and
Institutions Code (WIC) Section 11330.5(c), The HSP funding must be used to support
projects that follow evidence-based housing interventions, including homelessness
prevention services and/or the core components of rapid rehousing. Further, WIC
Section 8256 requires that all state-funded housing programs, including HSP, operate in
accordance with the core components of Housing First as enumerated in WIC Section
8255 and further outlined in All County Letter (ACL) 19-114.
Attachment One provides additional information on HSP requirements and core

components. Counties or staff new to the program are encouraged to review this
letter, All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL) dated May 13, 2021, and the
HSP website for current HSP guidance and additional resources.
II. FY 2021-22 BUDGET UPDATES
The Budget Act of 2021 (SB 129) appropriated $285 million for HSP, including the
annual, ongoing appropriation of $95.0 million as well as a one-time appropriation of
$190.0 million.
CDSS will utilize five percent of the funds to administer and implement the program,
ensuring that participating counties are provided technical assistance and support.
Additionally, continuing counties may also continue to spend any unspent funds
allocated in FY 2020-21 via County Fiscal Letter (CFL) 20/21-34 through June 30, 2022.
A. FY 2021-22 Allocations
This letter announces the statewide availability of $270.75 million in FY 2021-22

allocations, out of the $285 million, for all fifty-eight (58) counties based on funding
methodologies described below. Refer to Attachment Four for the allocation table for
total FY 2021-22 allocations.
1. Instructions for Accepting Funds
Counties wishing to accept all or a portion of the FY `2021-22 allocation amount listed in
Attachment Four shall review, sign, and return the Director’s Certification in Attachment
Five. Counties choosing to decline their total FY 2021-22 allocation must also submit a
signed certification. Groups of counties wishing to propose a regional HSP should
consult the guidelines in Attachment Six. Completed certifications should be sent to
housing@dss.ca.gov.
Page Three
CDSS encourages review and acceptance of funds as soon as possible. Director's

Certification must be submitted by January 25th, 2022 to receive funds. If a county is
declining an allocation, a Director’s Certification should still be submitted indicating that
funds are being declined.
Funds that are not accepted on or before January 25th, 2022 will be allocated to
counties that indicate they can accept additional funds beyond the amounts listed in
Attachment Four, as indicated in the Director’s Certification in Attachment Five, and
consistent with the methodology described below.
2. FY 2021-22 Allocation Methodology
Round 1 Funding
For all continuing counties, an initial planning allocation was made available in CFL
21/22-05 and is included in the total FY 2021-22 allocations in Attachment Four based
on:
• A base allocation equal to the FY 2020-21 base funding allocation, as specified
in County Fiscal Letter (CFL) No. 20/21-01 and
• A performance allocation for each benchmark that the county meets standard or
strong performance in FY 2019-20, as described in All County Welfare Directors
Letter (ACWDL) dated May 13, 2021.
Noncompetitive Allocations
For all fifty-eight (58) counties an additional Noncompetitive allocation is distributed

based on need. The methodology includes the following, in order of weighted
importance:
• the percent of the statewide total of families experiencing homelessness living in
the county (2020 Homelessness Point in Time Count estimate);
• the percent of the statewide CalWORKs caseload data (CA 237 CW Jan –
Dec. 2019); and
• the percent of the statewide total of households with severe rent/mortgage cost
burden living in the county (i.e., household income less than 50 percent area
median income and paying more than 50 percent of income toward rent or
mortgage).
A funding floor equal to $250,000 or the FY 2020-21 allocation, whichever was greater,
was applied to the FY 2021-22 allocations for all 58 counties. Additional funds for prior
performance disputes per guidance released in ACWDL dated May 13, 2021 were also
allotted to final FY 2021-22 allocations.
3. Allocation Claiming and Fiscal Information
A County Fiscal Letter (CFL) for accepted total FY 2021-22 allocations will be released
shortly after close of applications. Claiming instructions for HSP funds are included in
Page Four
Attachment Three.
4. Proposals for Regional Programs
Groups of counties may request to form a regional HSP. Regional programs rely on a
shared administrative structure or program functions, which may be more efficient for
some communities. Counties in rural communities, with a regional Continuum of Care
(CoC), or with regional Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) awards
may particularly benefit from a regional HSP.
Considerations and instructions are outlined in Attachment Six. A consultation meeting

with CDSS is required before a regional agreement is formalized. Regional allocations
are, at maximum, the sum of the FY 2021-22 allocation amounts for each participating
county, plus an additional $150,000, to the extent funds are available, to incentivize
regional collaboration. Contact housing@dss.ca.gov to discuss regional opportunities.
B. Other Relevant Budget Updates
The FY2021-22 State Budget also included investments in programs across the state
that may assist families served through HSP, including expansion of CDSS Bringing
Families Home (BFH) Program, Home Safe, the Housing and Disability Advocacy
Program (HDAP), and emergency shelter under Project Roomkey, capital funding under
Homekey, the Community Care Expansion program, and several other investments to
support people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
See Attachment One for additional information and resources that should be considered
as counties expand and adapt local HSPs. Counties are also encouraged to review the
Homelessness Coordinating and Financing Council’s Putting the Funding Pieces
Together: Guide to Strategic Uses of New and Recent State and Federal Funds to
Prevent and End Homelessness.
III. FY 2021-22 STATUTORY CHANGES
The changes summarized below reflect amendments to WIC Sections 11330 - 11330.5
and updated program guidance for the additional HSP expansion funds pursuant to
AB 135 (Chapter 85, Statutes of 2021). Additional support for scaling the program will
be provided, including technical assistance and training opportunities.
A. Expansion of Eligibility
WIC Section 11330.5(a): Expansion to families at-risk of homelessness

The eligibility for HSP was expanded to include families in CalWORKs who are at-risk of
homelessness including recipients who have not yet received an eviction notice, and for
whom housing instability would be a barrier to self-sufficiency or child well-being.
Page Five
Consistent with homeless assistance best practice, programs should evaluate funding
and program capacity to prioritize serving people with the highest service needs and
vulnerabilities. See Attachment Two for more on homelessness prevention targeting
and prioritization.
B. Other State-level Statutory Changes
Section 113350.5(i): Deadline for regulations

CDSS must adopt HSP regulations by July 1, 2024. Until regulations are adopted, all-
county letters and similar instruction will have the same force and effect of regulations.
CDSS looks forward to working with counties and stakeholders to develop and adopt
program regulations.
Section 10618.8(a-c): Use of funds for contracts

CDSS may use program expansion funds for formal evaluation, data collection, and
technical assistance contracts. These activities will be contracted and conducted at the
state level and in coordination with the legislature, stakeholders, and client advocates.
CDSS must report on these contracts and efforts annually to the legislature.
Contact the CDSS Housing and Homelessness Branch at 916-651-5155 or

housing@dss.ca.gov with questions regarding this letter or HSP.
Sincerely,
Original Document Signed By
JULIE MCQUITTY, Acting Branch Chief

Housing and Homelessness Branch
Attachments:
• Attachment One: Program Eligibility and Core Service Components

• Attachment Two: Guidelines on Homelessness Prevention Expansion
• Attachment Three: Fiscal and Budget Considerations
• Attachment Four: FY 2021-22 HSP Allocation Amounts
• Attachment Five: FY 2021-22 HSP Director's Certification, Instructions and
Funding Conditions
• Attachment Six: Information on Establishing Regional Programs
ATTACHMENT ONE: PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY AND CORE SERVICE COMPONENTS
This attachment provides an overview of HSP and the core service components of the
program. Counties interested in establishing a new program are encouraged to review
this information and guidance throughout this attachment to understand the scope of the
program.
Aside from the items outlined in the ‘FY 2021-22 Budget Updates’ and ‘Eligibility and
Expansion of Homelessness Prevention’, the guidance below is consistent with
previously issued guidance. Attachment Two provides more on the expansion of
eligibility to include families at-risk of homelessness. Contact housing@dss.ca.gov
with questions or to request technical assistance.
I. PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
The CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP), established by Senate Bill (SB) 855
(Chapter 29, Statutes of 2014), is intended to foster housing stability for families
experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in the CalWORKs program.
The HSP eligibility is broadly defined by WIC Section 11330.5 and includes CalWORKs
recipients who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness, including
recipients who have not yet received an eviction notice, and for whom housing instability
would be a barrier to self-sufficiency or child well-being.
A. Eligible CalWORKs Recipients
As further defined below, counties may now serve eligible families at-risk of
homelessness. Refer to Attachment Two for best practices on homelessness
prevention. Consistent with homeless assistance best practice, programs should
evaluate funding and program capacity to prioritize serving people with the highest
needs and vulnerabilities. Every effort should be made to serve all families in the
CalWORKs program experiencing homelessness given expanded program funds.
The HSP identifies and targets the whole population of families in the CalWORKs
Program experiencing homelessness regardless of housing and income barriers.
Consistent with Housing First, programs should not create additional criteria for
eligibility or exclude any population from being served. All CalWORKs recipient families
are eligible to be served through HSP, including the following types of assistance units:
• Welfare-to-Work (WTW) | An assistance unit [AU] type that includes Single-

Parent and Two-Parent households with an aided adult who is not exempt from
work activities and not sanctioned.
• Exempt | An exemption excuses a CalWORKs participant from Welfare to Work
requirements.
• Child Only | Cases in which only the children in an AU are aided due to the
exclusion or ineligibility for cash aid of the AU parent(s).
• Safety Net | Cases in which only the children in an AU are aided due to the
parent(s) being discontinued from cash aid because they reached their 48-month
lifetime assistance limit.
• Sanctioned | The process by which adult(s) are removed from CalWORKs
support because at least one failed to comply with WTW program requirements
without good cause, and County staff compliance efforts failed. Eligible children
in an AU continue to receive funding. This includes long-term sanctioned cases.
• CalWORKs Family Reunification (AB 429) | The continuation of CalWORKs
services when a child has been removed from the home and is receiving out-of-
home care.
• CalLearn | Statewide program for pregnant and parenting teens in the
CalWORKs program. It is designed to encourage pregnant and parenting teens
to graduate from high school or its equivalent, become independent, and form
healthy families.
Note: Per WIC 11330.5(h), counties may continue to provide housing supports to a
CalWORKs recipient who is discontinued because they no longer meet the income
eligibility requirements of Section 11450.12.
B. Definition of Homelessness
The CalWORKs HSP funding must be used to assist families in the CalWORKs
program who are experiencing homelessness pursuant the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) definition in 24 CFR section 91.5 under “Homeless”
Sections (1)-(4) and in Attachment Two: Definition of Homelessness, Prioritization and
HSP 14 of All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL) dated May 13, 2021.
C. Definition of At-Risk of Homelessness
For the purposes of HSP, a person is defined as “at-risk of homelessness” when they:
• are experiencing housing instability, including recipients who have not yet
received an eviction notice, and for whom housing instability would be a barrier to
self-sufficiency or child well-being;
• have no subsequent permanent residence secured; and
• lack resources or support networks needed to stabilize their unique housing
situation and secure subsequent permanent housing.
This definition of “at-risk of homelessness” is inclusive of, but not limited to the HUD
definition of “at-risk of homelessness” under 24 Code of Federal Regulations section
91.5. This means participants who meet the HUD definition of “at-risk of homelessness”
shall be deemed “at-risk of homelessness” under the definition set out in this section.
Consistent with homeless assistance best practice, programs should evaluate funding
and program capacity to prioritize serving people with the highest needs and
vulnerabilities. See Attachment Two for more on homelessness prevention targeting
and prioritization.
At-Risk Self-Attestation
Families shall be allowed to self-attest that they meet the definition of “at-risk of
homelessness” in this section. No additional verification or documentation
demonstrating that a family meets the definition of “at-risk of homelessness” is needed;
counties shall not require further evidence for the purposes of HSP enrollment. This
self-determination assumes that families in the CalWORKs program who are at-risk of
homelessness are already more vulnerable to homelessness than the general
population.
Once a family has met the “at-risk of homelessness” definition in this section, counties
may assess for other criteria indicative of vulnerability related to risk of homelessness
for further prioritization.
D. Definitions and Examples of Homeless vs Prevention Assistance
Grantees will be asked to report on their use of funds for prevention. See the table
below, which provides definitions and examples to help clarify whether assistance
should be tracked and reported as “homeless assistance” vs. “homelessness prevention
assistance”. Additional information regarding tracking and reporting is outlined in
Attachment Two.
Homeless vs
Type Definition Example Prevention
Assistance
Updated in ACWDL dated May Example 1: Homeless
13, 2021, HSP follows the HUD Family living in a car Assistance.
definition of homeless in 24 for any amount of
CFR section 91.5. time. Participants
within this
Example 2: definition of
Literally
Family residing homelessness
Homeless*
in/exiting Project do not
Roomkey or other contribute
shelter setting. toward spending
on
homelessness
prevention.
Updated in ACWDL dated May Example 1: Homeless
13, 2021, HSP follows the HUD Family is couch Assistance.
definition of homeless in 24 surfing with a friend
CFR section 91.5, which but has been asked Participants
At Imminent Risk includes families who will
to leave in a week within this
of Homelessness imminently lose housing
within 14 days as homeless:
and has no other definition of
An individual or family who support or homelessness
will imminently lose their resources. do not
contribute
Homeless vs
Assistance
primary nighttime residence, Example 2: toward spending
provided that: Family with a 3-day on
(i) The primary nighttime pay or quit notice in homelessness
residence will be lost within hand and has no prevention.
14 days of the date of other support or
application for homeless resources.
assistance;
(ii) No subsequent residence
has been identified; and
(iii) The individual or family
lacks the resources or
support networks, e.g.,
family, friends, faith-based or
other social networks
needed to obtain other
permanent housing;
A client is “at-risk of Example 1: Homelessness

homelessness” when they: Family has been Prevention
• are experiencing couch surfing for Assistance.
housing instability, months, but
including recipients identifies concern Participants
who have not yet about the stability of within this
received an eviction their current definition of at-
notice, and for whom situation since they risk of
housing instability will likely need to homelessness
would be a barrier to leave within the next are counted
self-sufficiency or month and has no towards
child well-being; other support or spending on
• have no subsequent resources. homelessness
At-Risk of prevention.
permanent residence
Homelessness**
secured; and
• lack resources or
support networks
needed to stabilize
their unique housing
situation and secure
subsequent
permanent housing.
Participants shall be allowed

to self-attest that they meet
this definition.
Homeless vs
Assistance
This definition of “at-risk of
homelessness” is inclusive
of, but not limited to, the
HUD definition of “at-risk of
homelessness” under 24
CFR section 91.5. This
means participants who
meet the HUD definition of
“at-risk of homelessness”
shall be deemed “at-risk-of
homelessness” under the
definition set out in this
section.
*Effective May 13, 2021, the HSP definition of homelessness was updated to the HUD
definition in 24 CFR section 91.5 under “Homeless” Sections (1)-(4).
**Effective as of the date of this letter.
II. PROGRAM SERVICES, PRIORITIZATION, AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
A. Program Service Types
Per Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 11330.5(c), HSP funding must be used
to support projects that utilize evidence-based housing interventions, including
homelessness prevention services and/or the core components of rapid rehousing.
1. Rapid Rehousing Core Components
Rapid rehousing program standards are detailed below for each of the three core
components. While a household that is rapidly rehoused is not required to utilize all
three core components, counties operating HSPs must offer program participants all
three core components of rapid rehousing, utilizing a Housing First approach:
Housing identification: Activities under this core component include, but are not
limited to, recruiting landlords with units in the communities and neighborhoods where
program participants want to live and negotiating with landlords to help program
participants access housing.
Rent and move-in assistance: Activities under this core component include, but are
not limited to, paying for security deposits, move-in expenses, rent, and utilities. Rent
and move-in assistance should be flexible and tailored to the varying and changing
needs of a household while providing the assistance necessary for households to
transition immediately out of homelessness and to stabilize in permanent housing.
Case management and services: The goals of rapid re-housing case management
are to help participants obtain and move into permanent housing, support participants
with housing stability, and connect them to community and mainstream services and
supports if needed. Housing-related case management should begin at entry into the
program and continue throughout until a family is stably housed. Housing-related case
plans should be developed in close coordination with the CalWORKs and any other
(e.g., child welfare) case plans in addressing a family’s needs. Housing-related case
management should complement, but not replace or supplant traditional
CalWORKs case management.
The core components of rapid rehousing can be provided by a single agency or in

partnership with other agencies. The core components of rapid rehousing were
developed in collaboration with, and endorsed by, the United States Interagency
Council on Homelessness (USICH), the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
2. Homelessness Prevention Assistance
Preventative services and assistance are varied and can include any preventative
measure that will save a tenancy, help families regain stability in their current housing,
or move and achieve stability in a new housing location. This may include rental or
utility arrears, late fee payments, first month’s rent and/or security deposits,
landlord mediation, repairs, connection to housing stabilization services,
habitability/accessibility improvements, and housing navigation. Refer to
Attachment Two for more information expanding HSP programming to serving families
at-risk of homelessness.
B. Program Prioritization
To ensure that funding remains prioritized for those with the highest vulnerabilities,
CDSS expects that counties use the majority of funds to support people experiencing
homelessness. Counties are encouraged to limit overall spending on
homelessness prevention assistance for families at-risk of homelessness to no
more than 30 percent of the FY 2021-22 allocation, refer to the table above for
definitions and examples of homeless assistance versus prevention Assistance.
Counties unable to serve all eligible families in the CalWORKs program who are
experiencing or at-risk of homelessness should use a prioritization framework and
assessment to determine assistance and may not allow individual case managers to
determine prioritization on a case by case basis. It is critical that prioritization criteria
are consistent and not subject to the bias of an individual case manager or staff.
Counties should include their prioritization framework in written program policies to
ensure consistent application across the program and to assist CDSS in understanding
best practices across the state. Refer to Section Four of Attachment Two for more
information on homelessness prevention resources.
It is important to note that families in the CalWORKs Program are likely already more
vulnerable to homelessness than the general population. Given that HSP serves
CalWORKs families, HSP by design is targeting services to those at increased risk of
homelessness. Prioritization or assessment processes should incorporate the following
principles, regardless of the tool used:
• Be applied consistently across the program and should not rely on the social
worker’s individual determination of who to serve.
• Incorporate factors that are evidence-based or promising best practices, such as
targeting services to those most at-risk of homelessness.
• Delivered and framed in an easy-to-understand and trauma-informed manner
that centers the client’s needs, including the timing of the assessment
components or conducting the assessment in multiple stages if the client is in
crisis and/or hesitant to engage. Counties are strongly encouraged to use data
that may already have been collected to inform the assessment process and to
avoid repetitive or traumatic questions.
• Adopt a racial equity lens and framework. The Centre for Social Data
Analytics and the Government Alliance for Race and Equity recommends testing
assessment process against questions such as: Is the assessment tool equally
predictive and useful for all racial groups? When applying the tools, what will this
mean for a person? Who will gain and who will be burdened? What information
has already been gathered about how the tool impacts people of color?
• Reduce barriers to entry and participation to the degree possible, versus being a
tool to primarily screen people out.
• Be used to assist families in obtaining housing that prioritizes client choice,
considering the family’s needs and preferences.
• Offers and provides reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities.
C. Housing First
The HSPs must be operated in accordance with Housing First principles. WIC
Section 8256 requires that all state-funded housing programs operate in accordance
with the core components of Housing First as enumerated in WIC Section 8255 and
further outlined in ACL 19-114.
Housing First means that families should be connected to housing or housing supports
immediately without preconditions, services shall be voluntary, client choice shall be
respected, and applicants shall not be rejected on the basis of income, past evictions,
substance use, or any other behaviors that may indicate a lack of “housing readiness.”
CDSS has developed and previously requested that counties complete a Housing First
Self-Assessment to support counties in assessing their adherence to and adoption of
Housing First, and identify areas for development. CDSS reserves the right to request
that counties complete a Housing First Self-Assessment throughout the technical
assistance process. For example, this may be requested from counties establishing
new programs or when a Housing First practice requires improvement or refinement.
This Housing First Self-Assessment is an important tool for HSP counties to use
through their continuous quality improvement practices and can be found in the ACWDL
dated August 2, 2018 and was developed using the:
• Housing First core components in WIC Section 8255;

• U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Housing First Checklist
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing First
Assessment Tool
• Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) Checklist
D. Collaboration and Integration in the Homelessness Response System
Counties operating HSP are required to coordinate with their homelessness

response system, including participation in the local homelessness Continuum of Care
(CoC), Coordinated Entry System (CES), and Homeless Management Information
System (HMIS) to understand and meet the needs of the local community as well as to
understand and address racial disproportionality for people experiencing
homelessness.
Counties are also strongly encouraged to collaborate with other partners, such as local
child welfare, behavioral health and emergency response systems, local Medi-Cal
managed care plans, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), educational and family
resource networks, domestic violence agencies, legal aid organizations, and other
relevant networks to maximize available funding and connect participants to additional
resources and supportive services. Information on these collaborations will be
requested in future program updates. Counties may use HSP funds to establish
specific positions to support the coordination of these systems.
E. Racial Equity
CDSS requires counties to commit to addressing racial disproportionality for people

experiencing homelessness and ensuring equitable provision of services for Black and
Indigenous people and other people of color. Black and Indigenous people experience
homelessness at significantly higher rates than whites, largely due to long-standing
historical and structural racism. In California, Black people account for seven percent of
the general population, but represent more than 31 percent of people experiencing
homelessness. The disproportionality in homelessness is a by-product of systemic
inequity – racism continues to perpetuate disparities in critical areas that impact rates of
homelessness, including poverty, segregation/rental housing discrimination,
incarceration, and access to health care.
Additionally, per Government Code Section 8899.50, each county must also operate its
HSP in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing. This means that HSP must be
operated in a way that takes “meaningful actions, in addition to combating
discrimination, that overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities
free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics.”
Counties should review demographic data of HSP and CalWORKs participants to

understand how program demographics compare to the racial and ethnic makeup of low
income and unhoused families. This information can provide initial insight on racial
inequity within programming and should inform strategies for addressing racial equity.
Counties should review the reports and resources below for examples of how housing
and homelessness programs have incorporated racial equity into programming.
Counties are encouraged to seek meaningful input and participation from current and
former CalWORKs recipients, including recipients of color that to go beyond identifying
disparities to try to identify causes of such disparities from individuals with lived
experiences. Additionally, CDSS will provide technical assistance opportunities to help
counties address racial equity within HSP programming. The HSP funds can be used to
support efforts such as a racial equity analysis or plans for HSP.
Counties are encouraged to review the following reports and resources:
Reports
• Racial Inequalities in Homelessness, by the Numbers
• Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities (SPARC) Phase One Study
Findings
• A Brief Timeline of Race and Homelessness in America
• Report and Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People
Experiencing Homelessness
Resources
• Equity-Based Decision-Making Framework
• Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response
• Advancing Racial Equity through Assessments and Prioritization (HUD)
• CA Housing and Community Development’s Guidance on Affirmatively
Furthering Fair Housing.
• CA Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency’s data portal.
III. PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY
A. Technical Assistance (TA)
Training and technical assistance (TA) will be provided to support counties in

establishing, developing, and improving their HSP and to facilitate statewide
information-sharing. The TA opportunities include one-on-one calls and email
correspondence as well as in-person or virtual learning collaboratives focused on
identifying and meeting the needs of HSPs throughout the state. CDSS may designate
specific TA or training as mandatory, including for specific staff, such as program leads.
The TA and training topics may include strategies for strengthening outreach, case
management, advocacy, housing navigation, homelessness prevention services, as well
as local workforce development, streamlining administrative efficiencies, advancing
equity on a systems level, and improving collaboration with the local homelessness
response system. The TA and training may be conducted by CDSS or a CDSS

designated contractor. Additionally, programs may utilize HSP funds to provide
program-specific training in areas identified by the county or CDSS to support
continuous quality improvement.
Based on feedback from current counties, CDSS plans to establish cross-program

opportunities for TA engagement. CDSS has started hosting joint office hours to
address questions across various CDSS-funded programs, rather than holding separate
program-specific sessions. Counties are encouraged to provide recommendations
and feedback on CDSS efforts to address the needs of counties and service
providers operating the programs. Please send feedback to
housing@dss.ca.gov.
B. Data Reporting and Integration
Data collection, progress monitoring, and outcome reporting are essential and
mandatory elements of the HSP. Data needs should be considered when deciding on
staffing, training, and program design. Successful data integration goes beyond
completing program data reports and requires building relationships with HMIS
administrators, service providers, and other entities that are part of the data integration
process.
1. HSP-14/Monthly Reporting
Counties are required to provide aggregate level-data on a monthly basis via the
HSP-14 report which is to be submitted via the (admReportHSP14@dss.ca.gov).
Applicants may request additional information about HSP data reporting requirements
by emailing housing@dss.ca.gov.
Interim HSP-14 Reporting Update
With adoption of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition
of Homelessness in 24 CFR section 91.5 under “Homeless” Sections (1)-(4) and
definition of at-risk of homelessness within this letter, CDSS is providing interim
reporting guidance on select elements of the HSP-14 to accommodate the expansion of
program eligibility. To further implement this change, additional instructions and
updates regarding reporting in the HSP-14 will be provided under separate cover.
In the interim, for reporting families under Item 9 in the HSP-14, the family’s residence
status at time of approved request/referral:
• For anyone who meets homeless definitions 24 CFR section 91.5 under
“Homeless” (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) should be reported in Item 9.a.1. “Family has a
primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or privately-operated
shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations” (cell 24).
“Homeless” (1)(i) should be reported in Item 9.a.2. “Family resides in a public or
private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping
accommodation for human beings” (cell 25).
“Homeless” (2), (3), and (4) or the definition of at-risk of homelessness as
defined under Attachment One: Program Eligibility above should be reported in
Item 9.b. “Family is in receipt of judgement for eviction, as ordered by the court”
(cell 26).
Note: HSP eligibility is not contingent on receipt of judgement for eviction. Refer to
Program Eligibility section above for expanded eligibility for HSP.
2. Homeless Management Information System
Effective July 1, 2020, counties (or their contracted partners) operating an HSP are
required to enter all HSP participants into the local Homeless Management Information
System (HMIS) to better align HSP with the broader homelessness response system.
The HMIS is a critical part of an effective Coordinated Entry System and system-wide
approach to homelessness and can help communities better match people with
resources and interventions; understand their community need, populations served,
interventions needed, and outcomes; as well as identify intersections and gaps in
services.
3. Assembly Bill (AB) 977 Data Reporting Requirements (NEW)
Assembly Bill 977, Chapter 397, Statutes of 2021 includes additional requirements of
utilization of HMIS for HSP. Beginning on January 1, 2023, a county or entity operating
HSP, as a condition of receiving state funds, shall enter the Universal Data Elements
(Items 3.01–3.917) and the Common Data Elements (Items 4.02–4.20 and Item W5 of
the Individual Federal Partner Program Elements) drawn from the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development Homeless Management Information
System Data Standards. The HSP grantees should follow HUD guidance on HMIS
project set-up for HSP as an HMIS project and collect the appropriate data elements.
Grantees should collaborate with their CoC’s HMIS lead to ensure proper project setup.
Any county that does not already collect and enter these data into the local HMIS shall,
upon request, receive technical assistance and guidance from staff of the Interagency
Council on Homelessness and, as available, from federal partners, including, but not
limited to, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. To
request technical assistance, counties may either contact the Council directly at
HCFC@BCSH.ca.gov or they may send their request to Housing@dss.ca.gov and
CDSS staff will coordinate the facilitation of any necessary technical assistance
between the county and Council staff. Additional guidance regarding AB 977
requirements and implementation will be provided under separate cover.
C. Program Planning and Update Requirements (NEW)
As described in the main body of this ACWDL, CDSS is providing counties the
opportunity to accept FY 2021-22 allocations. As a condition of accepting these funds,
counties will be required to provide regular program updates and additional data to
demonstrate use of program funds consistent with program guidance and requirements.
CDSS will request a program update using a state-provided template to be distributed
six months after the FY 2021-22 funds are accepted and annually thereafter.
D. Program Performance and Evaluation (UPDATED)
Counties are expected to regularly measure, monitor, and communicate program impact
and performance. Counties should establish and consistently track performance
benchmarks, including the best practice Rapid Rehousing Performance Benchmarks
below, and collect data to measure progress and to inform continuous quality
improvements:
• Reduce the length of time program participants spend homeless
For a program to meet this performance benchmark, households served by the
program should move into permanent housing in an average of 30 days or less.
• Exit households to permanent housing
For a program to meet this performance benchmark, at least 80 percent of
households that exit a rapid re-housing program should exit to permanent
housing.
• Limit returns to homelessness within a year of program exit
For a program to meet this performance benchmark, at least 85 percent of
households that exit a rapid re-housing program to permanent housing should
not become homeless again within a year.
Additionally, programs should consider:

• Number of families with increased income at exit
• Number of families exiting CalWORKs due to over-income
o Note: Per WIC 11330.5(h), counties may continue to provide housing
supports to a CalWORKs recipient who is discontinued because they no
longer meet the income eligibility requirements of Section 11450.12.
• Number of families with improved employment or educational circumstances at
exit
• Participant satisfaction metrics
• Equity data including:
o race and ethnicity of participants,
o disability status of participants,
o primary language of participants, and
o geographic location/distribution where housing is preserved or obtained
There are other indicators that may be helpful in evaluating program performance and
impact, such as length of time between referral and enrollment, between enrollment and
placement in interim housing, or number of participants housed and unhoused at
program enrollment. CDSS will continue to provide further guidance, including through
technical assistance, on how to set and monitor program performance indicators.
CDSS will conduct ongoing monitoring of program performance using program data,
claiming information, and updates submitted by counties. Consistent with evidence-
based programming, CDSS aims to utilize outcomes data to inform future funding.
Therefore, counties are encouraged to use data to conduct their own program
management, oversight, and continuous quality improvement.
Formal Statewide Evaluation (NEW)
Counties must also participate in activities related to any formal HSP evaluation, such
as submitting data and logic models, conducting data reviews and cleaning, and/or
participating in interviews, surveys and focus groups. Data sharing agreements with
HMIS administrators may be required for efforts such as a formal evaluation. Counties
may use HSP funds to support requirements related to a formal evaluation.
E. Program Compliance
Should CDSS become aware that a county is not operating the HSP consistent with
statutory requirements or formal guidance issued by CDSS, the Department will notify
the county that they shall amend their program within a specified timeline in order to
come into compliance. CDSS will provide technical assistance to support counties and
to ensure that programs are operated consistent with evidence-based practices and
may request more regular program updates to reflect program compliance.
Examples of non-compliance may include, but are not limited to, failing to offer housing
support and assistance as described in WIC Section 11330.5 and ACWDL dated May
13, 2021, or violating housing first requirements as described in WIC Section 8255 and
8256 and further outlined in ACL 19-114.
CDSS acknowledges that program targets and budgets are projections and may be
subject to change given the dynamic nature of homeless assistance. CDSS is available
to provide technical assistance to help counties meet their targeted number of families
to house and maximize direct financial assistance.
Notice of Program Interruption to CDSS
Counties must notify CDSS in writing at least thirty days in advance of any temporary or
permanent interruption to HSP services for any reason, including fully spending their
allocation.
F. Additional State resources to support HSP participants
The FY 2021-22 California State Budget also includes investments in programs across
the state that may assist HSP participants. For more information on funding sources to
leverage in support of HSP, see the Homeless Coordination and Financing Council
(HCFC), effective January 1, 2022 to be California Interagency Council on
Homelessness (Cal-ICH), website and Guide to Strategic Use of Key State and Federal
Funds document. Counties are encouraged to leverage expanded funding, services
and staff made available to other programs within the local Department of Social
Services, such as CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA), CalWORKs Home Visiting
Program (HVP), CalWORKs Family Stabilization, Bringing Families Home (BFH),
Project Roomkey and the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP).
Additional resources made available within the FY 2021-21 budget that may support
HSP participants are listed below.
Additional CDSS Programs and Resources for HSP Service Coordination
• CalWORKs Homeless Assistance

The CalWORKs Homeless Assistance (HA) Program includes both temporary
HA, which helps families pay the costs of temporary shelter, and permanent HA,
which helps families pay a security deposit for permanent housing or to prevent
eviction. Eligible families may receive either temporary or permanent HA, or
both, once in a 12-month period, with certain exceptions. The HSP
administrators should assess how to best leverage HA in coordination with HSP
for eligible families in order to maximize each program effectively.
• CalWORKs Home Visiting Program

The CalWORKs Home Visiting Program (HVP) aims to support positive health
development and well-being outcomes for pregnant and parenting people,
families, and infants born into poverty, expand their future educational, economic,
and financial capability opportunities, and improve the likelihood that they will exit
poverty. Coordinating HVP with HSP outreach, enrollment, and services can
both target families who may have the highest housing service needs as well as
braid together critical wrap around services to meet a spectrum of family needs
and housing barriers. The HSP administrators should collaborate with local HVP
administrators to ensure programs are complimentary and coordinated in
addressing family homelessness or housing instability.
• CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work Family Stabilization Program

CalWORKs Family Stabilization (FS) is a component of the CalWORKs program
that provides intensive case management and services to participants who are
experiencing an identified situation or crisis, which may include homelessness or
imminent risk of homelessness and lack of safety due to domestic violence,
among other things. The FS is aimed at increasing client success and is
designed to ensure a basic level of stability within a family prior to, or
concurrently with, participation in Welfare to Work (WTW) activities and can
provide supports such as temporary shelter. View County CalWORKs Family
Stabilization plans. The HSP administrators should assess how to best leverage
FS in coordination with HSP for eligible families in order to maximize each
program effectively.
• AB-429: CalWORKs-Funded Family Reunification Services

Assembly Bill (AB) 429, permits continuation of CalWORKs services to parents
after removal of their children from the home by the Child Welfare Service
Agency (CWSA). These CalWORKs-funded WTW services are part of a Family
Reunification (FR) plan established by the county CWSA in conjunction with the
Court and may continue for up to 180 consecutive days, during which time the
children are considered temporarily absent from the home. Families with an FR
plan may be at increased risk of housing insecurity and homelessness and
should be assessed for HSP services in order to support housing and family
reunification plans. The HSP administrators should collaborate with local FR
administrators to ensure programs are complimentary and coordinated in
addressing family needs.
• Bringing Families Home

The Bringing Families Home (BFH) program is intended to help reduce the
number of families in the child welfare system experiencing or at-risk of
homelessness, increase family reunification, and prevent foster care placements.
The BFH serves homeless families involved with the child welfare system and is
designed to offer housing supports for families to successfully reunify. Eligible
families can be co-enrolled in HSP and BFH or transition across the programs as
is appropriate in order to maximize a full suite of services for families in need.
The HSP administrators should collaborate with local BFH administrators to
ensure programs are complimentary and coordinated in addressing family
homelessness.
• Project Roomkey
Project Roomkey was established in March 2020 as part of the state response to
the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of Project Roomkey (PRK) is to provide
non-congregate shelter options for people experiencing homelessness, protect
human life, and minimize strain on health care system capacity. The PRK can be
a resource for HSP families in need of urgent temporary shelter in order to
protect against the risk of COVID-19. The HSP administrators should collaborate
with local PRK administrators to ensure programs are complimentary and
coordinated in addressing family homelessness.
• Housing and Disability Advocacy Program

The Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) was established to assist
people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness who are likely eligible for
disability benefits by providing advocacy for disability benefits as well as housing
supports. The HDAP offers housing related financial assistance and wrap-
around supportive services, including, but not limited to: interim housing, rental
assistance, housing navigation, case management, security deposits, utility
payments, moving costs, legal services, and credit repair. The HDAP also
provides outreach services as well as case management for connections to any
additional service needs as applicable. The HSP administrators should
collaborate with local HDAP administrators to ensure programs are
complimentary and coordinated in addressing family homelessness.
Additional Resources for Consideration in HSP Planning and Development:
• California Department of Education: Homeless Education

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures the educational rights

and protections of children and youth experiencing homelessness. The
McKinney-Vento Act also authorizes the funding for the federal Education for
Homeless Children and Youth Program. Children, youth and their families
identified by local education agencies (LEAs) may be eligible for HSP. The HSP
administrators should outreach to and collaborate with local LEAs to ensure
eligible families are identified and offered HSP services and that programs are
complimentary and coordinated in addressing family needs.
community continuum of behavioral health treatment resources.
• Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The Emergency Rental Assistance program (ERAP) makes funding available to
assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities. Two separate programs
have been established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The funds
are provided directly to states, U.S. territories, local governments, and Indian
tribes. Counties use the funds to provide assistance to eligible households
through existing or newly created rental assistance programs.
• Emergency Solutions Grants Program

The Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG) assists in helping people to
quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis
and/or homelessness. The ESG funds may be used for five program
components: street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention,
rapid re-housing assistance, and HMIS; as well as administrative activities.
• Homekey
The Budget includes $2.75 billion for Homekey to further expand the portfolio of
housing by supporting the acquisition and conversion of properties into affordable
and supportive housing or interim housing. Counties should collaborate with
their CoC to identify local Homekey operators and identify potential areas of
collaboration, such as unit set asides for HSP participants. Information regarding
Homekey Notice of Funding Availability is on the Homekey website.
• Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program

The Budget includes $2 billion one-time funding administered by the Homeless
Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to assist counties, Continuums of
Care, and large cities with addressing homelessness in their communities.
ATTACHMENT TWO: GUIDELINES ON HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION EXPANSION
In previous fiscal years, HSP programs primarily served families experiencing literal
homelessness. With the FY 2021-22 expansion of eligibility and funding, counties may
now expand HSP services to include homelessness prevention for those at-risk of
homelessness. Program expectations and requirements for homelessness prevention
services are outlined throughout this attachment.
I. SECTION ONE: EXPANSION TO SERVE FAMILIES AT-RISK OF

HOMELESSNESS AND PREVENTION SERVICES GUIDELINES
The HSP eligibility has been expanded to include families in the CalWORKs program
who are at-risk of homelessness or who are recently homeless. This expansion may
significantly impact how counties design and contract the program. Resources on
eviction and homelessness prevention are included in Section Two and Four of this
attachment.
Counties should begin strategizing how to expand HSP to offer homelessness

prevention services. Counties are encouraged to review the homelessness prevention
resources provided within this letter. Counties should begin implementing these
program changes once familiar with homelessness prevention best practices.
A. Types of Homelessness Prevention Assistance
Preventative services and assistance are varied and can include any preventative
measure that will save a tenancy, help families regain stability in their current housing,
or move and achieve stability in a new housing location. This may include rental or
utility arrears, late fee payments, security deposits, rental assistance, landlord
mediation, repairs, habitability/accessibility improvements, and housing
navigation and relocation. Refer to Sections Five and Six below for more information.
B. Targeting Homelessness Prevention Assistance
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) Prevention

Targeting 101, while homelessness prevention refers to a broad category of services,
research shows that homelessness prevention is more effective when targeted to the
people who are most likely to fall into homelessness in the absence of preventative
assistance. Therefore, among families eligible for homelessness prevention
assistance due to being at-risk of homelessness, counties should prioritize
serving families with the greatest risk factors for homelessness, including
households with multiple risk factors as listed below.
Also, targeting households who are closer to the anticipated loss of housing increases
the chances they will actually need financial assistance from the homeless assistance
system in order to stay out of shelter. The more time a household has until their
housing situation ends, the more likely it is they will find a workable solution for their
current situation that does not require assistance. For this reason, households that
have come seeking emergency shelter but may still be in their own housing situation are
often good candidates for receiving homelessness prevention assistance.
Often, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or similar data collection
system can provide the data the program needs to further identify and target service
needs.
Counties should also consider targeting homelessness prevention assistance to

households that have risk factors for housing instability and homelessness. Some risk
factors to consider include:
• Single parent households • Immediate crises such as
• Households with children under domestic abuse
two • Living situation prior to entering
• Disabilities in the household the homeless assistance system
• Criminal records (doubled up or not being a
• History of conduct notices or leaseholder)
other lease violations • Employment status
• Past evictions • Household size and membership
• Pregnancy (presence of children, their ages,
• Number of and length of previous etc.)
homeless episodes
Without using available shelter data in selecting homelessness prevention assistance

criteria, communities may run a higher risk of inadvertently serving people who would
never have become homeless in the first place, limiting the resources available to
households that truly need them. The National Alliance to End Homelessness
Prevention Targeting 101 briefing includes factors for consideration for programs
without access to shelter data.
C. Eviction Prevention
Eviction prevention is distinct from homelessness prevention in that it is not narrowly

targeted to only those households who are at-risk of homelessness due to a potential
eviction. Homelessness prevention efforts often include eviction prevention strategies
such as short term or one-time financial assistance payments, including payment of
back rent, but may also offer more substantial case management or other supportive
services.
Eviction prevention strategies for CDSS programs, including HSP, during COVID-19 are
outlined in ACWDL dated January 14, 2021, and information on requirements for HSP
to leverage federal and state rent relief resources is outlined in the section below.
II. SECTION TWO: EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE /CALIFORNIA COVID-19

RENTAL RELIEF FUNDS
Over $4.6 billion in funding has been made available to California through Emergency
Rental Assistance (ERA) funding administered through the US Department of the
Treasury. The ERA funds, which were made available to states, tribes, and local
governments, can assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities due to
COVID-related circumstances. The ERA funds administered by the State of California
are referred to as the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Program.
For eligible families who are behind on rent or utilities due to COVID-related
circumstances, county HSP administrators should assist participants with accessing
ERA-funded rent relief before using HSP funds to pay arrears. This requirement is not
intended to impact eligibility for HSP but is rather a requirement to utilize ERA funds for
rental assistance before HSP funds are used, when available, and help participants in
accessing these funds. Additionally, it is vital that county HSP administrators continue
to assist clients with applying for ERA-funded rent relief before using HSP funds to
mitigate the risk of eviction, as application for ERA-funded rent relief extends critical
eviction prevention protections under AB 832. County HSP administrators can enroll
eligible families in HSP for case management and other non-arrears assistance while
helping families apply for and access ERA-funded rent relief.
However, if rent relief would not prevent a loss of housing and the family is eligible for
HSP, then HSP funds can be utilized to keep the family housed, including by covering
arrears to prevent a loss of housing.
Situations in which rent relief would not prevent a loss of housing may include, but are
not limited to, instances where:
• the temporary AB 832 protections do not apply in the family’s particular situation;
• there is a pending eviction for something other than COVID-related arrears;
• receipt of rent relief will not cover the full amount of the family’s arrears or,
• the family’s rent relief application is denied.
Rent relief under ERA covers up to 100 percent of unpaid back rent as well as future
rent and expenses that a tenant is unable to pay due to COVID-19 impacts. This might
include loss of job or reduction in hours, loss of transportation to and from jobs, loss of
childcare preventing regular work, increased healthcare or other costs, and other
impacts to daily life that result in reduced or no income or increased costs. Rental relief
applications can be submitted by landlords, renters, or both. However, a renter must
participate for relief funds to be received.
The HSP participants may also benefit from more in-depth application assistance
offered through the Local Partner Network (LPN). These partners can meet with
participants at their home or another site to walk them through the process, assist with
documentation and uploads, and add designees to their account to enable a third-party
to help them complete the application. To access an LPN appointment call
833-687-0967. This phone line is open to the public and can be accessed by
participants or case workers. The HSP funds may be used to provide further support to
HSP clients in navigating this assistance and it is recommended that case workers help
facilitate the process alongside the HSP participant.
Reference the following resources to learn more and begin an application:
• Visit the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program website for more information on the
program or to begin an application.
• Call 833-430-2122 for questions about the program and eligibility
• Call 833-687-0967 for assistance in a language besides English, or to receive
more in-depth assistance in the application process through an LPN.
• For informational brochures on the COVID-19 Rental Relief Program, please visit
the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Toolkit dropbox.
III. SECTION THREE: REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR HOMELESSNESS

PREVENTION
Effective prevention programs for families at-risk of homelessness may require a

different set of interventions, outreach efforts, processes, contractors, data collection,
and community partners than those established for homeless assistance interventions.
Counties should consider how the program may need to be adapted to incorporate this
new intervention type. Further, counties should develop internal monitoring systems to
track overall spending on prevention.
In the required program updates, counties will be asked to report on homelessness

prevention services, including how those services are being delivered according to best
practices. Counties will also be asked to report on their use of funds for homelessness
prevention.
IV. SECTION FOUR: HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION RESOURCES
For more information on implementing equitable homelessness prevention activities,

see:
• Framework for Homelessness Prevention – HUD
o Overview of types of homelessness prevention programs and strategies,
target population, and considerations for COVID-19.
• Homeless System Response: Prevention to Promote Equity – HUD

o Guide to ensuring equitable access and culturally responsive
homelessness prevention strategies and monitoring outcomes.
• Homeless System Response: Effective and Efficient Prevention Programs – HUD

o Summary of strategies utilized in innovative homelessness prevention
programs and interventions in multiple states.
• Homeless System Response: How to Design, Scale, and Fund a Homelessness

Prevention Program During COVID-19 – HUD
o Recommended operational steps for planning, developing, implementing,
and administering effective homelessness prevention strategies.
• Prevent Homelessness – United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

o Overview of crisis intervention and mitigation strategies aimed at reducing
the risk of homelessness.
• A New Direction: A Framework for Homelessness Prevention – Canadian

Observatory on Homelessness
o Overview of where homelessness prevention fits into broader housing and
homelessness assistance, including how the Canadian housing and
homelessness system is designed.
• Homelessness Prevention: A Review of the Literature – Center for Evidence-

based Solutions to Homelessness
o Overview of research on what types of interventions are most effective in
preventing homelessness, key factors in predicting homelessness, and
overview of existing screening models.
• Preventing Homelessness: Evidence-Based Methods to Screen Adults and

Families at-risk of Homelessness in Los Angeles – California Policy Lab
o Recommendations from the California Policy Lab on homelessness
prevention targeting tools, including risk factors that may indicate risk of
homelessness, modifications to make tools more user-friendly, and
modifications that could be made for adults and families.
ATTACHMENT THREE: FISCAL AND BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS
I. BUDGET GUIDELINES
The HSP counties are expected to provide housing identification, rent and move-in
assistance, and case management and services. Counties must minimize
administrative costs while maximizing direct services and housing related financial
assistance. Counties must budget the program appropriately in order ensure every
client has access to adequate case management and housing assistance.
The budget categories are defined as follows:
• Administrative costs may include, but are not limited to, program administrative
staff (including program supervision and data tracking staff), general
administration and costs necessary for the proper administration of the program,
data tracking including HMIS licenses, overhead, and program development
activities.
• Direct program service costs include case management staff, housing
navigation staff, and other program staff or operational costs not included within
administrative costs.
• Direct financial assistance to support housing represents all housing related
costs paid out on behalf of the participant. This includes costs associated with
rental assistance, application fees, security deposits, first and last months’ rent,
housing rehabilitation and modification costs, interim shelter assistance, move-in
costs, landlord incentives, etc.
Counties will be asked to provide updates on spending for administrative costs, direct
program service costs, and direct financial assistance during required program updates.
If counties are not maximizing direct financial assistance or minimizing administrative
costs, counties will be asked to provide an explanation within their program update
template, including plans to increase spending on direct financial assistance. CDSS will
offer additional technical assistance to the county to help achieve best or promising
practices in these areas.
II. FLEXIBLE CONTRACTING AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCIES
Given that multiple rounds of funding may occur within a fiscal year or the grant period,
CDSS strongly encourages counties to make contracts, Memorandums of
Understanding, and other agreements with implementing partners as flexible and easy
to amend as possible. Agreements may need to be altered to update award amounts,
spending timeframes, and eligible activities (such as incorporating homelessness
prevention services). Prioritizing flexibility will facilitate continued program operations
while awaiting staggered funding, especially when transitioning to a new fiscal year and
awaiting the finalization of the statewide program budget.
ATTACHMENT THREE: FISCAL AND BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS
Counties are strongly encouraged to consider strategic contracting with community

partners, such as contracting with one implementing partner to deliver housing
navigation across several programs with similar housing navigation needs. For
example, counties may utilize a portion of their HSP allocation in coordination with a
portion of their Bringing Families Home, Project Roomkey, or other local, state, or
federally funded program awards to provide housing navigation for multiple programs
across the community.
Similarly, counties should strongly consider developing a flexible housing subsidy pool,
in which dedicated funds from various housing programs are centralized for planning
purposes into a single source to meet a common administrative purpose amongst the
programs. On a client services level, costs would be attributable to the specific
client and program of which they are a participant and would be claimed
accordingly. Flexible subsidy pools allow for greater economies of scale while
reducing cross program competition for housing within a community.
For more information on flexible housing subsidy pools, reference:
• Flexible Subsidy Housing Pools Fundamentals – U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development
• History and Takeaways from Los Angeles County’s Flexible Housing Subsidy
Pools – The Hilton Foundation
III. CLAIMING INSTRUCTIONS
Allowable expenditures as described in this ACWDL, should be claimed through the

County Expense Claim/County Expense Claim Reporting Information System to the
appropriate Program Code as outlined in County Fiscal Letter (CFL) No. 16/17-08 and
CFL No. 21/22-26, which provides updated guidance on the claiming of Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) administrative direct costs and reminds counties
of the requirements for claiming administrative costs for subrecipients of TANF grants.
It also provides specific guidance regarding the addition of TANF administrative cost
claiming instructions and new Program Codes and Time Study Codes for HSP.
ATTACHMENT FOUR: FY 2021-22 ALLOCATION AMOUNTS
The below table contains the FY 2021-21 allocation amounts available for all
58 counties. These allocations are inclusive of Round 1 planning allocations for
continuing counties, released via CFL 21/22-05, and Noncompetitive allocations for all
58 counties. More information on the allocation methodology is contained in the
“FY 2021-22 Budget Updates” section of the main letter of this ACWDL. To accept the
allocations, counties must sign and return the Director’s Certification in Attachment Five
by January 25th, 2022.
Counties FY 2021-22 Counties FY 2021-22

Allocation Allocation
Alameda $ 9,129,463 Plumas $ 368,250
Alpine $ 250,000 Riverside $ 10,152,770
Amador $ 489,488 Sacramento $ 11,871,341
Butte $ 4,169,292 San Benito $ 489,475
Calaveras $ 450,740 San Bernardino $ 13,930,407
Colusa $ 351,250 San Diego $ 14,436,574
Contra Costa $ 5,543,453 San Francisco $ 11,030,770
Del Norte $ 505,039 San Joaquin $ 4,546,545
El Dorado $ 1,778,292 San Luis Obispo $ 4,353,565
Fresno $ 7,063,567 San Mateo $ 3,975,002
Glenn $ 1,178,044 Santa Barbara $ 2,824,174
Humboldt $ 2,121,759 Santa Clara $ 13,058,092
Imperial $ 2,787,344 Santa Cruz $ 4,300,112
Inyo $ 250,000 Shasta $ 2,388,873
Kern $ 5,538,587 Sierra $ 250,000
Kings $ 1,588,909 Siskiyou $ 939,236
Lake $ 774,816 Solano $ 6,527,261
Lassen $ 461,978 Sonoma $ 3,678,383
Los Angeles $ 71,125,375 Stanislaus $ 4,537,978
Madera $ 1,360,127 Sutter $ 2,048,000
Marin $ 1,876,196 Tehama $ 538,844
Mariposa $ 387,049 Trinity $ 250,000
Mendocino $ 1,065,517 Tulare $ 3,279,488
Merced $ 4,894,580 Tuolumne $ 602,337
Modoc $ 325,000 Ventura $ 3,476,485
Mono $ 250,000 Yolo $ 3,276,357
Monterey $ 3,340,057 Yuba $ 1,957,431
Napa $ 646,168 TOTAL $ 270,750,00
Nevada $ 963,880
Orange $ 9,396,653
Placer $ 1,599,627
ATTACHMENT FIVE: DIRECTOR'S CERTIFICATION, INSTRUCTIONS AND
FUNDING CONDITIONS
County Welfare Directors shall complete and return this Director's Certification to
housing@dss.ca.gov by January 25th, 2022 Counties interested in establishing regional
programs should refer to Attachment Six for additional information.
Counties accepting funds made available to their county as listed in Attachment Four
shall complete Section One through Three below. Counties declining all funding for
FY 2021-22, including Round 1 planning allocations, shall complete Section One and
Four below.
By accepting these funds and signing the certification below, the County Welfare
Director agrees to the funding terms and conditions outlined within this letter.
Reminder: This certification is for the FY 2021-22 allocations, as listed in Attachment

Four, which includes both Round 1 planning allocations and additional Noncompetitive
allocations.
SECTION ONE: CONTACT INFORMATION
a) Name of County: ______________________________________________

b) Name and title of contact:
____________________________________________________________
c) Contact information (phone and email):
____________________________________________________________
SECTION TWO: FUNDING AMOUNT AND PROGRAM TARGETS
A. FY 2021-22 Allocation: A county may accept the full amount identified within
Attachment Four or a portion of these funds. For continuing counties, Attachment
Four allocations are inclusive of initial Round 1 planning allocation amounts in
CFL 21/22-05.
Complete the information below to confirm acknowledgment of Attachment Four

allocation amounts and select one of the following acceptance options:
The county hereby acknowledges the total FY 2021-22 allocation in Attachment Four is
$_________________ and acknowledges this is inclusive of Round 1 planning
allocations for continuing counties.
The county hereby:

Accepts the total allocation amount as listed in Attachment Four
Accepts the total allocation amount as listed in Attachment Four AND accepts
additional funds, if available, beyond current allocation level with no limit
FUNDING CONDITIONS
Accepts the total allocation amount as listed in Attachment Four AND accepts
additional funds, if available, beyond current allocation level up to a limit
• Specify the total FY 2021-22 allocation the county is able to accept:
$_______________
Accepts only a portion of the allocation amount as listed in Attachment Four.
• Specify the total FY 2021-22 allocation accepted: $______________
B. Expected Participants to Serve
Counties should assess community need, program capacity, and allocation amount
accepted under Section One Item A to estimate the total number of unduplicated new
and continuing HSP participants expected to be served between July 1, 2021 and
June 30, 2024.
Complete all of the following (reference the table in Attachment One for definitions and
examples of homelessness versus prevention assistance):
i. Estimated number of families experiencing homelessness to receive HSP

services: _____________________________
ii. Estimated number of families at-risk of homelessness to receive HSP
homelessness prevention services: ________________________________
iii. Estimated TOTAL number of families to serve in HSP: _________________
SECTION THREE: COLLABORATION AND DIRECTOR’S CERTIFICATION OF

FUNDING TERMS
A. Collaboration: counties operating an HSP must inform the local homelessness

and family services systems of the following information:
• Total allocation available to the county
• Total allocation accepted by the county
• HSP program benefits and eligibility (e.g., Attachment One)
• HSP program requirements as it relates to collaboration with the CoC, CES,
and HMIS (e.g., Attachment One)
Examples of partner outreach and communications include but are not limited to sharing
the information with partners via an email, sharing at advisory or collaborative meetings,
and providing roadshows or presentations to partners.
Relevant agencies and organizations may include the Continuum of Care (CoC), Public
Housing Authorities (PHA), housing agencies of incorporated cities, educational and
family resource networks, Public Housing Authorities (PHA), behavioral health and child
welfare agencies, and other partners critical to local outreach and collaboration.
FUNDING CONDITIONS
A copy of the letter(s) or comparable material sent to relevant partner agencies

within the community and list of recipients is attached. The county understands that
this is a requirement to accept the FY 2021-22 allocations.
B. Conditions of Funding
I, County Welfare Director of [insert name of county], certify that I will:
1) Operate an HSP consistent with relevant laws, regulations, program guidance, and
evidence-based practices, including but not limited to:
a) Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Sections 11330-11330.5
b) All County Letters or similar instruction, including ACWDL dated May 26,
2016: Rapid Rehousing Benchmarks and Program Standards and
ACWDL dated May 13, 2021
c) Housing First requirements as enumerated in WIC Section 8255 and
further outlined in ACL 19-114
d) homelessness prevention services and/or the core components of rapid
rehousing.
2) Actively collaborate with local, state, and federal housing, homelessness and health
systems in order to make best use of available funding and link participants to
necessary services. I understand that information on these collaborations will be
requested within program updates. These collaborating entities may include but are
not limited to:
a) Continuums of Care and Coordinated Entry Systems
b) Behavioral health systems
c) Public Housing Authorities (PHA)
d) Educational and family resource networks
3) Collect, track, report and measure relevant program outcomes and engage in
continuous data quality improvement, such as:
a) Enter participants into HMIS.
b) Submit HSP related program reports, including but not limited to the
HSP-14, as specified by CDSS through an ACL or similar instruction.
c) Participate in formal evaluation efforts which may include executing data
sharing agreements with the HMIS administrator.
d) Set program targets and milestones and report to CDSS on progress at
least annually or upon request from CDSS.
4) Engage in training, technical assistance, and continuous quality improvement,
including but not limited to:
a) Program leads attend meetings and trainings required by CDSS.
b) Respond to requests for program amendments in order to comply with
applicable laws and guidance, as determined by CDSS.
c) Actively engage with technical assistance providers, including those
contracted by CDSS, to support program growth, expansion, and
improvement by attending meetings and trainings and contributing to
technical assistance efforts, such as process mapping, program design,
and case conferencing exercises.
FUNDING CONDITIONS
5) Respond to requests for program progress reports, updates, expenditure

information, including amount spent on homelessness prevention services,
administrative costs, direct services and financial assistance, or program
assessments as requested by CDSS, including but not limited to:
a) For new counties, implementation updates related to program ramp up at
least every six months and then annually, after program implementation
and until awarded amount is fully spent.
b) For existing counties, annual implementation updates in accordance with
a schedule as determined by CDSS.
c) For new and existing counties, submit more frequent program updates if
determined necessary by CDSS due to program performance.
6) Maximize spending on direct financial assistance and minimize administrative costs
in order to ensure that all HSP participants are provided housing assistance and
case management.
7) Utilize Emergency Rental Assistance Program/California COVID-19 Rent Relief
before HSP to pay for rental backpay, when applicable.
8) Notify CDSS in writing at least 30 days in advance of any temporary or permanent
interruption or end to HSP services and operations for any reason, including fully
spending the given allocation.
9) CDSS reserves the right to reallocate HSP funds should a county be out of
compliance with applicable laws or guidance issued by CDSS and if CDSS
determines it is appropriate or necessary to maximize program impact throughout
the state.
I _______________ certify that ____________ County will administer the HSP pursuant
to the terms outlined above and understand this is a condition of receiving HSP funds.
The information completed within the form and attached are true and correct.
_________________________________ ________________
County Welfare Director Signature Date
SECTION FOUR: DECLINING FUNDS (Only complete if the county declines ALL of
the FY 2021-22 Allocation outlined in Attachment Four.)
Counties declining all funding for FY 2021-22 outlined in Attachment Four are asked to
notify CDSS by completing and signing the section below and returning it to
housing@dss.ca.gov as soon as possible but no later than January 25th, 2022. CDSS
will consider the funds declined if no response is provided to CDSS by the county by
January 25th, 2022.
To decline the funds, check the box below and complete the name and signature of the
County Welfare Director. Note: counties accepting funds should not complete this
section.
FUNDING CONDITIONS
County declines the entire amount of FY 2021-22 allocation available to

county (and acknowledges this is inclusive of Round 1 planning allocations
amounts in CFL 21/22-05 for continuing counties).
_________________________________ ________________
County Welfare Director Signature Date
ATTACHMENT SIX: INFORMATION ON ESTABLISHING REGIONAL PROGRAMS
Counties have the option to establish a regional HSP program. Counties in rural
communities, communities with a regional CoC, or counties with regional HHAP awards
may benefit from a regional HSP.
Regional programs rely on a shared administrative structure or program functions which

can create more staffing and resource efficiency in communities with smaller caseloads
that may not warrant a full-time program case manager, or in areas where hiring is
challenging.
I. REGIONAL FUNDING AVAILABILITY
The amount available for regional programs is equal to the sum of the allocation of each
participating county (as specified in Attachment Four). In addition to the FY 2021-22
allocation HSP allocation, CDSS will provide an additional $150,000, to the extent funds
are available, to support and encourage regional programming.
II. REGIONAL PROGRAM AGREEMENT, ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS AND REGIONAL

DIRECTOR’S CERTIFICATION
Groups of counties interested in forming a regional HSP should contact CDSS at

housing@dss.ca.gov as soon as possible. CDSS will set up an initial conversation to
discuss and work through potential program design models and ensure that the
participating counties agree with the requirements of HSP and the regional partnership.
Once an agreement has been made, CDSS will provide the participating counties a
Regional Director’s Certification, in which participating counties can certify
acknowledgement of program funding terms and requirements. Regional Director’s
Certifications, signed by all participating counties, must be submitted by January 25th,
2022.
III. REGIONAL PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS
When discussing a potential regional structure, counties should consider the following
questions:
• What is the combined estimate of HSP-eligible families in these communities?
How many will require preventative services and homelessness assistance?
• How might housing or other needs differ in each of the participating
communities?
• Will the regional HSP have a lead county?
• What functions, services and assistance will be centralized across the
program? Which functions, if any, will remain within each county? (ex:
programs have one housing navigator but retain independent outreach
mechanisms)
• How will regional programs ensure that participants from each community
have equal access to HSP services?
ATTACHMENT SIX: INFORMATION ON ESTABLISHING REGIONAL PROGRAMS
• What methods of communication will be established to ensure that

coordination across counties is streamlined, and that no participants fall
through the cracks?
• How can a regional program leverage collaborative partnerships for critical
services provided by other county departments or community-based
providers, especially for roles with specific professional expertise? Examples
include child development, health care, behavioral health care, or legal
representation.
IV. POSTPONED REGIONAL PROGRAM FORMATION
If counties are unable to come to agreement prior to the deadline to accept the
FY 2021-22 allocation but still wish to establish an HSP (with a possibility of a future
regional program) they must submit the Director’s Certification (Attachment Five) no
later than January 25th, 2022.
If a regional structure is desired later after the Director’s Certification deadline, CDSS
will work with counties to explore possible options. However, if the county does not
submit the Director’s Certification by January 25th, 2022 to accept the FY 2021-22
allocation, CDSS cannot guarantee funding will be available during FY 2021-22.

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December 13, 2021

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

LETTER TO ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTORS

TO: ALL COUNTY WELFARE DIRECTOR

SUBJECT: CALWORKS HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM NOTICE OF

Attachment One provides additional information on HSP requirements and core

II. FY 2021-22 BUDGET UPDATES

This letter announces the statewide availability of $270.75 million in FY 2021-22

1. Instructions for Accepting Funds

CDSS encourages review and acceptance of funds as soon as possible. Director's

2. FY 2021-22 Allocation Methodology

For all fifty-eight (58) counties an additional Noncompetitive allocation is distributed

3. Allocation Claiming and Fiscal Information

4. Proposals for Regional Programs

Considerations and instructions are outlined in Attachment Six. A consultation meeting

B. Other Relevant Budget Updates

III. FY 2021-22 STATUTORY CHANGES

WIC Section 11330.5(a): Expansion to families at-risk of homelessness

B. Other State-level Statutory Changes

Section 113350.5(i): Deadline for regulations

Section 10618.8(a-c): Use of funds for contracts

Contact the CDSS Housing and Homelessness Branch at 916-651-5155 or

Original Document Signed By

JULIE MCQUITTY, Acting Branch Chief

• Attachment One: Program Eligibility and Core Service Components

A. Eligible CalWORKs Recipients

• Welfare-to-Work (WTW) | An assistance unit [AU] type that includes Single-

C. Definition of At-Risk of Homelessness

D. Definitions and Examples of Homeless vs Prevention Assistance

A client is “at-risk of Example 1: Homelessness

Participants shall be allowed

II. PROGRAM SERVICES, PRIORITIZATION, AND ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Program Service Types

1. Rapid Rehousing Core Components

The core components of rapid rehousing can be provided by a single agency or in

2. Homelessness Prevention Assistance

• Housing First core components in WIC Section 8255;

D. Collaboration and Integration in the Homelessness Response System

Counties operating HSP are required to coordinate with their homelessness

CDSS requires counties to commit to addressing racial disproportionality for people

Counties should review demographic data of HSP and CalWORKs participants to

Counties are encouraged to review the following reports and resources:

III. PROGRAM ACCOUNTABILITY

A. Technical Assistance (TA)

Training and technical assistance (TA) will be provided to support counties in

response system. The TA and training may be conducted by CDSS or a CDSS

Based on feedback from current counties, CDSS plans to establish cross-program

B. Data Reporting and Integration

Interim HSP-14 Reporting Update

2. Homeless Management Information System

3. Assembly Bill (AB) 977 Data Reporting Requirements (NEW)

C. Program Planning and Update Requirements (NEW)

D. Program Performance and Evaluation (UPDATED)

Additionally, programs should consider:

Formal Statewide Evaluation (NEW)

Notice of Program Interruption to CDSS

F. Additional State resources to support HSP participants

Additional CDSS Programs and Resources for HSP Service Coordination

• CalWORKs Homeless Assistance