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BACKGROUND In June 2018, Governor Brown signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 850 and authorized the launch of the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) to provide a one-time $500 million block grant program designed to provide direct assistance to cities and counties to address the homelessness crisis throughout California. Pursuant to Government Code Section 8692, et seq.,to be eligible for HEAP funds, a local jurisdiction must declare a shelter crisis. According to the 2017 EveryOne Home Homeless Point-In-Time Count and Survey, at least eighteen unsheltered homeless individuals were living in Pleasanton as of January 30, 2017, out of a total 3,863 unsheltered homeless population in Alameda County. The executive summary of the 2017 Point-In-Time Count is included as Attachment 2. Government Code §§8698, et seq., allows a city council to declare a shelter crisis based upon the existence of a situation in which a significant number of persons are without the ability to obtain shelter, resulting a threat to their health and safety. After declaring a shelter crisis, funding, such as the HEAP funds, may be made available from the State to assist Pleasanton's efforts to combat homelessness. DISCUSSION The California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council administers the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP), which is a $500 million block grant program designed to provide direct assistance to cities and counties to address the homelessness crisis throughout California. HEAP funds are intended to provide jurisdictions with funding to provide immediate emergency assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Eligible uses include, but are not limited to the following: a. Homelessness prevention activities; b. Criminal justice diversion programs for homeless individuals with mental health needs; c. Establishing or expanding services meeting the needs of homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness; and d. Emergency aid. The parameters of the program are intentionally broad to allow local communities to be creative and craft programs that meet its specific needs. Specific example of types of programs that could be funded include: • Rental assistance or subsidies: housing vouchers, rapid re-housing programs, flexible housing subsidy funds; and eviction prevention strategies. • Capital improvements: emergency shelters, navigation shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, small/tiny houses, and improvements to current structures that serve homeless individuals and families. HEAP funding would be allocated to the local Continuum of Care (CoC), which is an affiliation of agencies and stakeholders committed to ending homelessness. EveryOne Home and Alameda County Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department are the primary organizations that oversee the Alameda County CoC responsible for implementing HUD-funded homeless strategies and programs. Consequently, Alameda Page 2 of 3