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Home My WebLink AboutStaff Report 2601-5875CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting Monday, April 20, 2026 Council Chambers & Hybrid 5:30 PM Agenda Item 3.Discussion of the Draft 2026-2030 Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness; CEQA Status—Not a project. County Presentation City Council Staff Report From: City Manager Report Type: STUDY SESSION Lead Department: City Manager Meeting Date: April 20, 2026 Report #:2601-5875 TITLE Discussion of the Draft 2026-2030 Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness; CEQA Status—Not a project. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that City Council discuss and provide feedback to County representatives on the Draft 2026-2030 Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This transmits and provides a forum for Santa Clara County (County) staff to discuss and receive feedback from Council on the Draft 2026-2030 Santa Clara County Community Plan to End Homelessness. County staff will be at the April 20, 2026 Council meeting to present information and discuss the Draft Plan with the Council. Ultimately, once the County has completed outreach and finalized the Draft Plan, staff and the County anticipate the final plan to come back to the Council for review and endorsement. For the past five years, the City has aligned its work relating to homelessness and stability to the County’s 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness goals addressing the root causes of homelessness, improving the quality of life for unsheltered individuals, and creating healthy neighborhoods for all, and expanding homelessness prevention and housing programs to meet demand. The 2020-2025 Plan achieved its goal of 20,830 people housed and made significant progress on a variety of fronts, including a 19 percent decrease in new households becoming homeless.1 The new proposed draft 2026-2030 Plan contains focus areas to reduce inflow into homelessness, help people to get and stay housed, strengthen access to care and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, and center people with lived experience to lead and transform the homeless system. Similar to the 2020-2025 Plan, much of current City policy and work relating to homelessness and housing stability also aligns with the new draft Plan. 1 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness Final Progress Report, communityplan-2025-final-progress- report. This staff report summarizes County data related to homelessness among people affiliated with Palo Alto to help provide a shared fact base and support Council discussion and feedback on the new draft Plan. BACKGROUND 3 Over the Plan’s five-year time period, the City of Palo Alto engaged in a variety of efforts supporting the Plan’s strategies,4 including: 5 20,830 people housed (goal was 20,000), consisting of 47 percent chronically homeless and 26 percent families with children, 27,037 people placed in temporary housing and shelter, 38,060 people received homelessness prevention assistance, with 93 percent of families remaining stably housed while receiving services, 19 percent decrease in new households becoming homeless, 82 percent increase in temporary housing and shelter capacity, consisting of 1,533 shelter units, 1,190 interim housing units, 365 other transitional housing programs, and 332 safe parking spaces, and 56 deeply affordable and supportive housing developments equaling more than 6,500 homes open, under construction, or in the pipeline. 3 City Council Staff Report, August 8, 2021, https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/agendas- minutes-reports/reports/city-manager-reports-cmrs/year-archive/2021/id-13453.pdf. 4 City Council Staff Report, February 10, 2025, https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/meetings/ItemWithTemplateType?id=6751&meetingTemplateType=2&comp iledMeetingDocumentId=13091 . 5 City Council Staff Presentation, August 25, 2025, https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/api/compilemeetingattachmenthistory/historyattachment/?historyId=13976 d90-1d8c-42c7-988f-e84d17a90ad0. Going forward, the new draft Plan9 was built over several months of stakeholder engagement and in consultation with community members, service providers, people with lived experience, and staff from different jurisdictions within the County. The draft Plan identifies the following four focus areas, each accompanied by three strategies, emphasizing capacity and access, service delivery, and system coordination: Focus Area 1 — Prevent people from becoming homeless o Strategy A – Expand programs and investments to prevent people from becoming homeless o Strategy B – Ensure services are effective to prevent people from becoming homeless o Strategy C – Enhance coordination across systems to prevent people from becoming homeless Focus Area 2 — Continue to house people and support them in retaining their housing o Strategy A – Increase and maintain a continuum of housing options that meets the need o Strategy B – Increase consistency, diversity, and quality of housing and services for people accessing the housing continuum o Strategy C – Improve system coordination throughout the housing continuum Focus Area 3 — Strengthen access to care and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness o Strategy A – Build capacity and expand access to trusted, culturally responsive, and coordinated services and resources throughout Santa Clara County o Strategy B – Increase consistency, variety, and quality of outreach, basic, and essential needs services o Strategy C – Invest in approaches that improve outcomes and reduce harm for people living unsheltered and the community at-large Focus Area 4 — Center and invest in people with lived experience to lead and transform the homeless system o Strategy A – Expand the representation of people with lived experience in leadership roles and decision-making bodies o Strategy B – Build leadership capacity and advancement pathways for people with lived experience o Strategy C – Equip homeless system partners to effectively partner with people with lived experience 9 See Attachment A: Santa Clara County Draft Plan to End Homelessness, https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/KAYACoABY2cDNOnGH1fzSpUmsx?domain=osh.santaclaracounty.gov ANALYSIS To best discuss the new draft Plan, it’s helpful to understand the current flow of Palo Alto- affiliated people11 into and out of homelessness, as well as how the City’s current efforts align with the draft Plan’s focus areas and strategies. The following summarizes County data related to homelessness among people affiliated with Palo Alto, drawing on the January 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count12 and the Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing (OSH) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data for Calendar Year (CY) 202513. The data reflect two core realities: The January 2025 PIT count identified 418 individuals experiencing homelessness in Palo Alto, including 399 individuals (95%) who were unsheltered. People who are sheltered and experiencing homelessness include those in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or safe havens. Those who are unsheltered are living in places not designed for habitation, such as outdoors, vehicles, streets, parks or abandoned buildings. Palo Alto’s unsheltered proportion is higher than the countywide average, which makes sense given system constraints previously identified in the City’s Housing and Unhoused Services Gap Analysis (e.g., limited interim shelter capacity and housing supply). In partnership with Santa Clara County and a network of nonprofit and healthcare providers, Palo Alto supports outreach, stabilization, interim pathways, housing problem-solving, housing navigation, and supportive services. OSH/HMIS data indicates substantial service activity across programs during CY2025, reflecting both ongoing need and significant partner work. Key CY2025 HMIS data findings include: Coordinated Entry Inflow: 297 Palo Alto–affiliated households completed coordinated entry assessments, a consistent, community-wide intake process used to match people to appropriate resources14. 11 For purposes of this staff report, “Palo Alto–affiliated” refers to households identified in OSH/HMIS jurisdiction- level reporting as having a connection to Palo Alto (commonly based on information collected during system engagement, such as self-reported connection and/or service location). 12 County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), “Point-in-Time Count,” https://osh.santaclaracounty.gov/data-and-reports/point-time-count, accessed March 6, 2026. 13 Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), HMIS jurisdiction-level reporting for Palo Alto (Calendar Year 2025). Source file provided to the City, see Attachment B: Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing – Calendar Year 2025 Report (Palo Alto). 14 County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), “Glossary of terms,” https://osh.santaclaracounty.gov/glossary-terms , accessed March 6, 2026. Housing Requests and Placements: 154 Palo Alto–affiliated households requested housing assistance, and 71 households were placed into permanent housing. Placements occur through the countywide system and may be located outside Palo Alto. Service Utilization: Demand remains high across outreach, interim/shelter pathways, housing programs, and service-only supports. Please note, PIT data are reported as individuals (persons), while coordinated entry and HMIS measures are often reported as households; these measures are not directly comparable. In HMIS reporting, households may also appear in multiple categories19 based on service needs and enrollment during the year20. System Inflow and Housing Outcomes (CY2025) Santa Clara County’s Office of Supportive Housing administers the countywide homelessness response system, including coordinated entry, housing placement, and service tracking through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Households experiencing homelessness are assessed using the Vulnerability Index–Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), which helps prioritize households for available housing resources. HMIS data reflects participating providers and programs; some services may be underrepresented if they are not entered in HMIS. The following information is derived from HMIS and reflects system activity across CY202521. Coordinated Entry inflow provides an indicator of the scale of household need entering (or re- entering) the homelessness response system. In CY2025, 154 Palo Alto–affiliated households completed first time coordinated entry assessments, compared to 126 in CY2024. With a high unsheltered rate, it is important for Palo Alto to focus on prevention (e.g., helping people to stay housed) to reduce the overall inflow, problem-solving through interim pathways (e.g., identifying and connecting to appropriate shelter or resources) to decrease the percent who are unsheltered, and placement (i.e., into permanent housing) to improve outflow. Housing requests and placements reflect movement through the County’s coordinated housing system. In CY2025, 154 Palo Alto–affiliated households requested housing assistance and 71 households were placed into permanent housing (countywide: 3,858 requests and 2,012 placements). Because placements occur through the countywide system, housing may be located outside Palo Alto; destination geography is not consistently available in the dataset 5The "breakdown of services" refers to the detailed, client-level tracking of specific assistance provided to individuals or households experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This data is categorized to track service use patterns, measure program effectiveness, and ensure that federal, state, and local funding is accurately reported. Uplift is a specific services related to bus passes. 21 County of Santa Clara, Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), “Glossary of terms,” accessed March 6, 2026. used for this summary25. For those experiencing homelessness, placement outcomes are one of the primary pathways to reducing unsheltered exposure and associated harms. Additionally, increasing the pace of stabilization and housing pathways supports improved conditions in public-facing areas over time. Program Participation — Palo Alto–Affiliated Households (CY2025) 26. Permanent Supportive Housing27: 219 households enrolled (214 housed) Rapid Rehousing28: 74 enrolled (57 housed) Emergency Housing Voucher Program: 26 enrolled (26 housed) Emergency Shelter29: 272 served Transitional Housing30: 16 served Safe Parking: 72 served Street Outreach: 187 served Housing Problem Solving31: 203 served Services Only (incl. UPLIFT)32: 563 served Homelessness Prevention: 29 served 25 Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), HMIS jurisdiction-level reporting for Palo Alto (Calendar Year 2025). Source file provided to the City and attached to this staff report packet: City_of_Palo_Alto_Report_OSH_CY2025.xlsx. 26 Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), HMIS jurisdiction-level reporting for Palo Alto (Calendar Year 2025). Source file provided to the City and attached to this staff report packet: City_of_Palo_Alto_Report_OSH_CY2025.xlsx. 27 Housing target towards chronically homeless individuals and families, providing a rental subsidy, intensive case management, and health care. https://osh.santaclaracounty.gov/glossary-terms 28 An intervention to help individuals or families quickly exit homelessness, consisting of identifying housing, providing a modest/declining/temporary rent subsidy, and time-limited case management. 29 Temporary shelter provided for a specific time period only (e.g., 90 days). 30 Temporary supportive housing, typically provided for a limited time (e.g., 2 weeks to 2 years). 31 A Santa Clara County program to help households identify choices and solutions to end their housing crisis (i.e., prevent homelessness or achieve housing stability). https://files.santaclaracounty.gov/exjcpb1571/migrated/SCC%20CoC%20- %20Housing%20Problem%20Solving%20Guidelines%20062821.pdf 32The Office of Supportive Housing defines support services as targeted, often individualized, assistance designed to help people experiencing homelessness or housing instability obtain permanent housing, retain their tenancy, and improve their stability. These services encompass housing navigation, case management, health services, and life skills training tailored to specific needs. UPLIFT refers to a service that provides bus passes to unhoused individuals. These numbers, especially the high “services-only” and outreach counts, may suggest a sustained need for engagement and stabilization while households navigate limited interim and permanent housing supply. Another takeaway from this data, is that the breadth of outreach and supportive service participation reflects ongoing harm-reduction, health connection, and crisis-prevention work that supports safer outcomes for vulnerable residents. Additionally, consistent outreach and pathways to housing stability help address impacts in high-use public areas by connecting people to services and reducing the duration/intensity of unsheltered episodes. Past and Current City Efforts and Alignment with Draft Plan Focus Area 1 – Prevent people from becoming homeless Effort Description 41. Requirement to offer a 1-year lease at lease renewal for covered units (PAMC Section 9.68.030) Just cause eviction protections that are applicable to more units than protections required by State law (PAMC Section 9.68.040) Tenant Relocation Assistance for no-fault evictions for covered units at rates equal to or likely exceeding assistance levels required by State law (PAMC Section 9.68.050; PAMC Section 9.68.060) Renter’s remedies if there is noncompliance with housing rental housing stabilization requirements (PAMC Section 9.68.080) 41 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-66860 Focus Area 2 – Continue to house people and support them in retaining their housing Housing Services Awarded Alta Housing $87,756 (HSRAP) for enhanced housing services including youth enrichment, community-building, and economic stability services to low-income youth and families residing in Alta Housing communities. Awarded Silicon Valley Independent Living Center $20,067 (CDBG) to provide case management services to low-income individuals with disabilities to secure affordable and accessible housing. Awarded LifeMoves $39,154 (CDBG) to provide housing navigation, benefits counseling and broader case management services to clients at the Opportunity Center. Food security Awarded $10,000 (Emerging Needs grant) to Alta Housing to expand its food security initiative. Below Market Rate Housing Program Contracted with Alta Housing to administer the City’s Below Market Rate (BMR) program designed to expand access to affordable ownership and rental housing by requiring or facilitating the creation of deed-restricted units for low- and moderate-income households. Focus Area 3 – Strengthen access to care and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness Overnight warming location (OWL) Awarded $113,166 (HSRAP) to Heart and Home Collaborative for Overnight Warming location for unhoused individuals, and $10,000 (Emerging Needs grant) to lengthen the opening dates of the cold weather shelter season. Outreach services to RV dwellers Awarded $70,360.00 to Karat School Project for outreach services to the RV Dweller community in Palo Alto. Food security Awarded $94,174.00 to LifeMoves to reduce food insecurity for unhoused individuals by providing breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday. Outreach & street medicine Awarded $241,422 (HSRAP) to Peninsula Healthcare Connections for outreach service, mental health support and street medicine for low income and unhoused individuals, along with operation of Palo Alto Food Closet. Healthcare services Awarded $135,374 (HSRAP) to Ravenswood Family Health Network for healthcare services for low income and unhoused Palo Altans and $10,000 (Emerging Needs grant) to update its Optometry care for higher quality of care to low- income and unhoused clients. Miscellaneous services for the unhoused Awarded $735 (mini grant) for various services for the unhoused including (car repair, storage fees, and dental etc.) Safe Parking Program Funded $447,849 to expand safe parking operations at 2000 Geng Road, adding 10 oversized vehicle spaces After receiving comments and feedback from Council at the study session, the County will continue to gather feedback from the community, including at an April 30th event at Mitchell Park, before bringing the final Plan to the County Board of Supervisors in late summer/early fall. Following Board approval, staff will work with the County to bring the final plan back to Council for review and endorsement. For a more detailed timeline, please see Attachment C: Santa Clara County Community Plan timeline. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT This report is informational and has no direct fiscal impact. However, the data informs future resource allocation, program planning, and service capacity needs. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The City meets with the County monthly on topics relating to supportive housing, including the draft Plan. In addition to a variety of interviews, focus groups and steering committee meetings held since spring 2025 throughout Santa Clara County, there was also a north-county specific focus group held in Palo Alto focused on people with lived experience. As mentioned earlier in the report, there is an additional community engagement opportunity in Palo Alto on April 30, from 6-8 pm at Mitchell Park in the El Palo Alto room. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act because is a study session with no action required by the Council. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Santa Clara County Draft Community Plan to End Homelessness Attachment B: Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing Calendar Year 2025 Report (Palo Alto) Attachment C: Santa Clara County Community Plan Timeline APPROVED BY: Ed Shikada, City Manager 3.3.26 Draft 1 Santa Clara County: Community Plan to End Homelessness Focus Area 1 Prevent people from becoming homeless. Strategy A – Expand programs and investments to prevent people from becoming homeless. Sub-Strategies A1: Increase public and private funding for homelessness prevention programs. A2: Strengthen and sustain a high-impact homelessness prevention system. A3: Align policy and affordable housing investment to improve housing stability for households at-risk of homelessness. Strategy B – Ensure services are effective to prevent people from becoming homeless. Sub-Strategies B1. Prevent evictions through early identification, tenant protections, and system coordination. B2: Enforce fair housing protections and increase access to legal services to combat housing discrimination. B3: Leverage health care resources to prevent homelessness. Strategy C – Enhance coordination across systems to prevent people from becoming homeless. Sub-Strategies C1: Prevent homelessness at discharge or system exit through coordination with health care or behavioral health institutions, foster care, or criminal legal systems. Draft 3.3.26 2 C2: Establish partnerships to increase income and employment for those at-risk of homelessness. C3: Strengthen partnerships with safety net services for a community-driven approach to preventing homelessness. Focus Area 2 Continue to house people and support them in retaining their housing. Strategy A – Increase and maintain a continuum of housing options that meets the need. Sub-Strategies A1: Increase public and private funding to build more permanent housing and implement system improvements. A2: Increase public and private funding to expand temporary housing capacity and implement system improvements. A3: Prioritize development of housing for extremely low-income individuals and families making 30% of Area Median Income or less and set joint targets. A4: Build up programs and services to reach geographically underserved areas of the county. A5 Strengthen and diversify permanent housing capacity and options to meet varied needs and acuity levels. A6: Strengthen and diversify temporary housing capacity and options, including Emergency Interim Housing (EIH), to meet varied needs and acuity levels. A7: Co-design innovative and inclusive housing and service models with people with lived experience that expand access to diverse, permanent housing solutions. Strategy B – Increase consistency, diversity, and quality of housing and services for people accessing the housing continuum. Sub-Strategies B1: Standardize high-quality service delivery and individualized care across the housing continuum. Draft 3.3.26 3 B2: All housing continuum programs are safe, healthy, and accessible to everyone. B3: Improve tenancy support for participants in permanent housing programs. B4: Invest in equitable workforce development programs for people with lived experience within the homeless system. B5: Promote skill-building and career advancement opportunities for people with lived experience within the homeless system. B6: Support the development and implementation of programs led by people with lived experience that provide peer support, housing navigation, and mentorship. Strategy C – Improve system coordination throughout the housing continuum. Sub-Strategies C1: Reduce returns to homelessness and program exits. C2: Increase coordination between property management and service providers to ensure housing stability. C3: Reduce housing search time and expand landlord capacity for scattered site housing programs. Focus Area 3 Strengthen access to care and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Strategy A – Build capacity and expand access to trusted, culturally responsive, and coordinated services and resources throughout Santa Clara County. Sub-Strategies A1: Identify sustainable funding for increased access to care and services for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. A2: Prioritize peer-led and community-driven outreach and communications models to effectively serve underserved regions and populations who are historically underserved or overrepresented in the homeless system. A3: Improve system-wide access to real-time, understandable, and comprehensive resource information and availability. Draft 3.3.26 4 Strategy B – Increase consistency, variety, and quality of outreach, basic, and essential needs services. Sub-Strategies B1: Expand service delivery offerings for basic and essential needs and to support stability. B2: Ensure that service providers are equipped with the skills, capacity, and ability to effectively serve those in unsheltered situations. B3: Create a consistent, person-centered approach to address vehicular homelessness. B4: Connect impacted populations to culturally responsive services. Strategy C – Invest in approaches that improve outcomes and reduce harm for people living unsheltered and the community at-large. Sub-Strategies C1: Strengthen coordination between behavioral health, homeless service providers, and public safety partners to divert non-violent homeless-related calls away from law enforcement. C2: Expand re-entry and behavioral health services as alternatives to arrest or emergency room admission. C3: Decrease the number of people residing in encampments and reduce criminalization of homelessness for those who are unsheltered Focus Area 4 Center and invest in people with lived experience to lead and transform the homeless system. Strategy A – Expand the representation of people with lived experience in leadership roles and decision-making bodies. Sub-Strategies A1: Build capacity of local jurisdictions and organizations to increase lived experience in leadership roles and decision-making bodies A2: Create accessible and flexible leadership opportunities that consider varying interests, availability, and backgrounds Draft 3.3.26 5 A3: Reduce structural barriers to participation. Strategy B – Build leadership capacity and advancement pathways for people with lived experience. Sub-Strategies B1: Provide opportunities such as mentorship and education for people with lived experience to establish pathways for leadership advancement. B2: Support transitions from advisory roles to formal decision making and leadership positions. B3: Advance equity in hiring, advancement, and retention of people with lived experience. Strategy C – Equip homeless system partners to effectively partner with people with lived experience. Sub-Strategies C1: Establish standards and best practices to support authentic lived experience engagement C2: Formalize processes to regularly evaluate the quality and depth of lived experience engagement and use findings to drive improvement. C3: Develop clear accountability measures to transparently demonstrate how lived experience input informs decisions and system change. City of Palo Alto Report, CY2025 (January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025) Office of Supportive Housing, Santa Clara County Santa Clara County Overview Homelessness in Santa Clara County and the City of Palo Alto Measure of Homelessness Measures of Homelessness (and Housing Placements) Currently on the Community Housing Queue, as of January 30, 2026 Homeless in CY2025: Total VI‐SPDAT assessments completed in CY2025 The CY2025 Santa Clara County Supportive Housing System (Active program enrollments during CY2025) Households Project Type Enrolled Housed (if applicable) Enrolled Housed (if applicable)Enrolled Housed Permanent Supportive Housing (disability required)4,556 4,331 219 214 4.8%4.9% Rapid Rehousing 1,679 1,276 74 57 4.4%4.5% Emergency Housing Voucher Program 653 642 26 26 4.0%4.0% Emergency Shelter 5,102 NA 272 NA 5.3%NA Transitional Housing 529 NA 16 NA 3.0%NA Safe Parking 550 NA 72 NA 13.1%NA Street Outreach 5,194 NA 187 NA 3.6%NA Housing Problem Solving 4,530 NA 203 NA 4.5%NA Services Only (Includes UPLIFT)8,944 NA 563 NA 6.3%NA Homelessness Prevention 3,121 NA 29 NA 0.9%NA Emergency Shelter enrollments have increased as the capacity of shelter programs increased from 2,158 units in December 2024 to 2,968 units in December 2025. Santa Clara County 10,711 people were experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County (an increase of 8% from 9,903 in 2023) ∙ 7,472 (70%) of them were unsheltered and 3,239 (30%) were sheltered Santa Clara County 5,311 households 8,614 households o 3,858 households requested housing o 2,012 households were placed in permanent City of Palo Alto 418 people were experiencing homelessness in the City of Palo Alto (an increase of 103% from 206 in 2023) ∙ 399 (95%) of them were unsheltered City of Palo Alto Affiliated 187 households 297 households o 154 households requested housing assistance Notes: Only Head of Household data are shown for these reports as planning for housing developments is done at the household level. Households may be enrolled in more than one program type within the reporting period. Homelessness Prevention city affiliation definition is based on the current zip code of the head of household at program enrollment. o 71 households were placed in permanent As we are implementing effective solutions and slowing the growth of the crisis, Santa Clara County saw a 5% decrease in CY2025 in homeless inflow (people seeking homelessness assistance for the first time) compared to CY2024 and a 19% decrease in homeless inflow since CY2019 (the baseline year for the Community Plan). We must summon the collective will and resources to not only respond to the current crisis and scale our successful housing strategies, but also address and eliminate the root causes of homelessness in our community. By pooling our resources and coordinating our efforts, each city’s investment will be multiplied and will maximize our efforts to expand the supportive housing system and end homelessness in Santa Clara County. We hope this bi‐annual report will support your City in meeting the need in your jurisdiction, as well as connect your strategies to county‐wide efforts. • 27,037 people (19,243 households) were served through temporary housing which consists of emergency shelter, transitional housing, and safe parking • Supportive Housing (i.e., Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing) capacity increased by 29% with a total of 6,400 units/subsidies and 1,041 units in the pipeline • Temporary housing (Emergency shelter, Transitional housing, and Safe Parking) capacity increased by 82% with a total of 3,420 units and over 280 shelter units in the pipeline Link to most recent progress report: 2020‐2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness Through a collective impact response implementing the 2020‐2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness, Santa Clara County housed over 3,300 people (about 2,012 households) in CY2025. This continued progress speaks to the efforts of partners working collaboratively on shared goals. Since January 2020 (through December 2025): • 20,830 people were connected to permanent housing (12,362 households) • Prevention programs reached 38,060 at‐risk people (20,341 households) Percent of Total SCCCity of Palo Alto Affiliated Point‐in‐Time Count, January 2025 System Inflow (First time VI‐SPDAT) & Outflow (Housing Placements), CY2025 Santa Clara County Summary Charts Page 1 of 2 Summary Chart of City of Palo Alto Affiliated Program Enrollments Project Type Enrolled Homelessness Prevention 29 Services Only (Includes UPLIFT)563 Housing Problem Solving 203 Street Outreach 187 Safe Parking 72 Transitional Housing 16 Emergency Shelter 272 Emergency Housing Voucher Program 26 Rapid Rehousing 74 Permanent Supportive Housing (disability required)219 29 563 203 187 72 16 272 26 74 219 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES ONLY (INCLUDES UPLIFT) HOUSING PROBLEM SOLVING STREET OUTREACH SAFE PARKING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY SHELTER EMERGENCY HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM RAPID REHOUSING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (DISABILITY REQUIRED) City of Palo Alto: Household Program Enrollments during CY2025 Summary Charts Page 2 of 2 Homeless Inflow ‐ First Time VI‐SPDAT (Households) Calendar Year Total Homeless Inflow (Santa Clara County) City of Palo Alto Affiliated Inflow Percent of Total 2019 4,744 138 2.9% 2020 3,419 139 4.1% 2021 3,156 173 5.5% 2022 3,440 153 4.4% 2023 4,267 162 3.8% 2024 4,071 126 3.1% 2025 3,858 154 4.0% Households Placed in Permanent Housing Calendar Year Total Housed (Santa Clara County) City of Palo Alto Affiliated Housed Percent of Total 2019 1,947 87 4.5% 2020 2,099 80 3.8% 2021 1,943 65 3.3% 2022 2,060 64 3.1% 2023 2,509 80 3.2% 2024 2,234 65 2.9% 2025 2,012 71 3.5% City of Palo Alto Affiliated Households Homeless Inflow Housed 2019 138 87 2020 147 80 2021 180 65 2022 165 64 2023 168 80 2024 127 65 2025 154 71 138 147 180 165 168 127 154 87 80 65 64 80 65 71 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 City of Palo Alto: Homeless Inflow and Permanent Housing Placements Homeless Inflow Housed Trends Page 1 of 1 Demographics for 297 VI‐SPDAT Assessments Completed in CY25, City of Palo Alto: This represents an indicator of homelessness in CY25 for households affiliated with the City of Palo Alto Note: Data not shown for groups with fewer than 11 respondents Permanent Supportive Housing, 146, 49%Rapid Rehousing, 131, 44% Minimal Range, 20, 7% By Level of Need (Based on VI‐SPDAT Score) 4%, 11 4%, 11 4%, 12 8%, 25 22%, 64 27%, 79 32%, 95 0 20 40 60 80 100 Jail (Completed a JD‐VI‐ SPDAT) Other/ Data not collected Transitional Housing Couch Surfing Shelters/ Safe Haven/ Motel Outdoors Car/RV/Trailer/Van Where do you sleep most frequently? Demographics Page 1 of 7 8%, 23 15%, 44 22%, 64 22%, 63 18%, 52 17%, 51 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 or Above By Age Tier 55%, 163 14%, 41 11%, 33 8%, 25 11%, 34 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 2 years or more 1 ‐ 2 years 6 months to 1 year 3 ‐ 6 months Less than 3 months How long has it been since you lived in permanent stable housing? Demographics Page 2 of 7 Single Adults, 237, 80% Families with Children, 44, 15% Single Youth and Young Adults, 16, 5% By Household Type Man, 180, 61% Woman/ Additional Gender Identities, 117, 39% By Gender Demographics Page 3 of 7 5%, 16 8%, 25 27%, 79 34%, 102 32%, 95 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous/ Other Asian or Asian American Black, African American, or African Hispanic/ Latina/e/o White (Non‐Hispanic/ Latina/e/o) By Race and Ethnicity (Multiple Responses Allowed) 15%, 44 29%, 86 30%, 88 62%, 185 0 50 100 150 200 Drinking or Drug Use Cause Lose Housing Mental Health or Brain Issues Affect Housing Physical Disability Limit Housing Options Homelessness caused by abuse or trauma By Self‐Reported Disability/Vulnerability (VI‐SPDAT) Demographics Page 4 of 7 Demographics for 8,614 Total VI‐SPDAT Assessments Completed in CY25 in Santa Clara County These charts provide information if you would like to compare individual city results with results for the entire county. Note: Data not shown for groups with fewer than 11 respondents Permanent Supportive Housing, 5,273 , 61% Rapid Rehousing, 2,810 , 33% Minimal Range, 531 , 6% SCC: By Level of Need (Based on VI‐SPDAT Score) 3%, 263 4%, 337 6%, 492 8%, 656 19%, 1,600 22%, 1,887 39%, 3,379 ‐ 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 Other/ No Response Transitional Housing Jail Couch Surfing Shelters/ Safe Haven/ Hotel/ Motel/ Treatment Facility Car/RV/Trailer/Van Outdoors SCC: Where do you sleep most frequently? Demographics Page 5 of 7 1%, 61 62%, 5,357 13%, 1,101 8%, 657 6%, 549 9%, 737 2%, 152 ‐ 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 Data not collected 2 years or more 1 ‐ 2 years 6 months to 1 year 3 ‐ 6 months 1 week ‐ 3 months Less than a week SCC: How long has it been since you lived in permanent stable housing? 9%, 812 19%, 1,664 25%, 2,183 20%, 1,728 17%, 1,471 9%, 745 ‐ 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65 or Above By Age Tier Single Adults, 6,790 , 79% Families with Children, 1,287 , 15% Single Youth and Young Adults, 537 , 6% SCC: By Household Type (Based on VI‐SPDAT Type) Demographics Page 6 of 7 Man, 5,237 , 61% Woman, 3,263 , 38% Additional Gender Identities, 114 , 1% SCC: By Gender 7%, 608 7%, 569 15%, 1,301 53%, 4,527 1%, 47 2%, 180 24%, 2,107 ‐ 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous Asian or Asian American Black, African American, or African Hispanic/ Latina/e/o Middle Eastern or North African Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander White (Non‐ Hispanic/ Latina/e/o) SCC: By Race and Ethnicity (Multiple Responses Allowed) 27%, 2,356 29%, 2,525 35%, 3,009 67%, 5,757 ‐ 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 Drinking or Drug Use Cause Lose Housing Physical Disability Limit Housing Options Mental Health or Brain Issues Affect Housing Homelessness caused by abuse or trauma SCC: By Self‐Reported Disability/Vulnerability (VI‐SPDAT) Demographics Page 7 of 7 Notes and Definitions • Enrollment and assessment data is from HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) • Inflow: First time a person/household completes a VI‐SPDAT assessment (Note that only the head of household of a household with children is instructed to take the Family VI‐SPDAT assessment) • Outflow: Households placed in permanent housing (a move‐in date in a housing program or an exit to a permanent housing destination from a non‐housing program). Total (Santa Clara County) numbers include HUD‐ VASH housing (PSH) placements but city‐level data does not include most HUD‐VASH clients (since city affiliation Notes about City Affiliation: • City affiliation is based on client self‐reported data from 4 city affiliation questions (provided during an assessment) and one program enrollment field: o In which city do you spend most of your time? o Which city did you live in prior to becoming homeless? o If you are employed, in which city is your work place? o If you (or your children) go to school, in which city is your school? o Zip Code of last permanent address (Program Enrollment) • Zip Codes used in the analysis for the City of Palo Alto: 94301, 94302, 94303, 94304, 94306, 94309 • City affiliation for homeless inflow and Community Housing Queue data is based on VI‐SPDAT questions only. • City affiliation for housing placements is based on the most recent VI‐SPDAT assessment and program enrollment (zip code of last permanent address). • City affiliation for most program enrollments is based on the most recent of any assessments that have a city affiliation questions (VI‐SPDAT, Community Hotline/Triage, Housing Problem Solving, Homelessness Prevention) and program enrollment (zip code of last permanent address). • City affiliation for Housing Problem Solving is based on the Housing Problem Solving Assessment 4 city • City affiliation for Homelessness Prevention is based on Zip code of current address at program enrollment. • Street Outreach enrollments do not include Safe Parking enrollments as they are reported separately. • Housing Problem Solving services include financial assistance, mediation, and attempts by case managers in person or by phone. • Homelessness Prevention includes only HPS‐DH and HPS‐OSH (EAN) programs. Note about Race and Ethnicity With the new 2024 HMIS data standards, Race and Ethnicity is now one question (previously it was 2 questions) and Hispanic/Latina/e/o was added to the list of Race and Ethnicity options as well as Middle Eastern/North African. Clients may choose more than one race and ethnicity option. We show the responses for each race and consequently; the numbers do not add up to 100%. Notes Page 1 of 1 1 2025-2030 COMMUNITY PLAN TIMELINE Spring 2025 – Summer/Fall 2026 Onboarding of Steering Committee Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis Spring 2025 Qualitative Data Collection Steering Committee drafts Sub- Strategies & Tasks Engagement with Cities Summer 2025 Continued engagement with Cities Convene lived experience work group Fall 2025 Engagement with Cities on Draft Plan Steering Committee finalizes Draft Plan Winter 2025–2026 Community Input on Draft Plan Begin Drafting Sub-Regional Plans Finalize Plan based on Community Input Spring 2026 CoC Board adopts Plan Endorsement from Jurisdictions Year 1 Implementation Begins Summer - Fall 2026 2 NEXT STEPS June – Dec. 2026 Mar. – May 2026 Mar. – May 2026 Community Input Review of full draft plan Coordinate feedback from City leaders, lived experience & constituents Finalize Plan & Develop Sub- Regional City Plans Finalize plan based on Community Input Develop action steps and metrics based on regional needs Ensure alignment with existing City Plans & Strategies Plan Adoption and Endorsement by County and Cities CoC Board Adoption (June) Execute process to obtain BOS and City Council endorsement Plan for implementation COMMUNITY PLAN 2020-2025 END HOMELESSNESS UPDATE TO Palo Alto City Council April 20, 2026 AGENDA THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 ●Progress from the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness ●Palo Alto Households Data ●Developing the Next 5-Year Community Plan to End Homelessness ●Next Steps THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS ABOUT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE •Broad group of stakeholders dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness •Ensure a community-wide implementation of efforts & programmatic and systemic effectiveness •County of Santa Clara serves as the lead agency COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS GOVERNMENT NONPROFIT PHILANTHROPY PRIVATE SECTOR COMMUNITY LIVED EXPERIENCE THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Collective Impact Continuum of Care Destination: Home County of Santa Clara Cities Lived Experience Groups Housing Authority Private Sector Service Providers Neighborhood Leaders and Community Members Affordable Housing Developers Philanthropy Other Public Agencies …and many more! THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS Progress from the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness SANTA CLARA COUNTY COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS 20,830 People Housed 2025 GOAL: 20,000 People Housed 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN PROGRESS GOAL ACHIEVED! THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN PROGRESS 2025 GOAL: 20,000 People Housed GOAL ACHIEVED! Temporary Housing & Shelter Capacity Increased by 82% 27,037 people placed in temporary housing or shelter between 2020 and 2025 1,882 2,639 2,227 2,158 2,717 2,765 3,420 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Temporary Housing and Shelter Capacity (units) Homelessness Prevention Capacity 2,693 households 75% since Jan. 1, 2020 2025 GOAL: 2,500 households 38,060 People Received Homelessness Prevention Assistance GOAL ACHIEVED! 93% of families remained stably housed while receiving services. Only 5% of households became homeless. ONE YEAR LATER 19%Decrease in New Households Becoming Homeless since 2019 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS 2020-2025 Community Plan Progress Palo Alto Households THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 2020-2025 Community Plan Progress: Palo Alto Households People Housed People Placed in Temporary Housing and Shelter People Received Homelessness Prevention Assistance 665 1,702 425 Across 425 households, ~3% of total Across 1,215 households, ~6% of total Across 306 households, ~1% of total In 2025, for every 1 household housed, another 2.2 became homeless. THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 HOW ARE PEOPLE FROM PALO ALTO BENEFITING FROM SERVICES? Palo Alto-Affiliated means: •Address in Palo Alto •Lived in Palo Alto prior to becoming homeless •Works in Palo Alto •Kids go to school in Palo Alto •Spend most of time in Palo Alto Program-Type Total Households Served Palo Alto- Affiliated Households Permanent Supportive Housing 4,556 219 Rapid Rehousing 1,679 74 Emergency Shelter 5,102 272 Transitional Housing 529 16 Street Outreach 5,194 187 Safe Parking 550 72 Homelessness Prevention 3,121 29 Housing Problem Solving 4,530 203 Services Only 8,944 563 Table 1: Palo Alto-Affiliated Households Receiving Supportive Housing System Services in 2025 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Estimated Housing Investments For Palo Alto Households in 2025 Program Type Estimated Annual Cost Per Household Households Affiliated with Palo Alto in 2025 Estimated Annual Funding for Households Affiliated with Palo Alto Permanent Supportive Housing $37,380 219 $8,186,220 Rapid Rehousing $29,250 74 $2,164,500 Homelessness Prevention $15,500 29 $449,500 Total $10,800,220 *Note: Palo Alto-affiliated households also receive funding to support their housing stability through the Housing Problem Solving program. Total: $68.4 million FY 25-26: ~$975,000 FY 25-26: $488,987 Additional Partnerships in Palo Alto The City and County have partnered on the development of multiple affordable housing developments, including 3001 El Camino, Mitchell Park Place, Wilton Court, and The Acacia. The County funds Safe Parking services in Palo Alto at both the Geng Road site and congregational lots. The County is also contributing $4 million to support Homekey Palo Alto. Supportive Housing Services and Basic Needs The County funds several programs at the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto, including basic needs services at the drop-in center and supportive services for residents as part of the scattered site permanent supportive housing program. Affordable Housing Development Temporary Housing & Shelter THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS Developing the Next 5-Year Community Plan to End Homelessness SANTA CLARA COUNTY COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 2025-2030 Community Plan Timeline Onboarding of Steering Committee Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis Spring 2025 Qualitative Data Collection Steering Committee drafts Sub-Strategies & Tasks Engagement with Cities Summer 2025 Continued engagement with Cities Convene lived experience work group Fall 2025 Engagement with Cities on Draft Plan Steering Committee finalizes Draft Plan Winter 2025–2026 Community Input on Draft Plan Begin Drafting Sub-Regional Plans Finalize Plan based on Community Input Spring 2026 CoC Board adopts Plan Endorsement from Jurisdictions Year 1 Implementation Begins Summer -Fall 2026 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS 1.Prevent People From Becoming Homeless Focus: Prevention 2.Continue to House People and Support Them in Retaining their Housing Focus: Housing through programs (shelter to permanent) 3.Strengthen Access to Care and Services for People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness. Focus: Unsheltered individuals 4.Center and Invest in People with Lived Experience to Lead and Transform the Homeless System Focus: Lived experience lead throughout the system Key Focus Areas THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Next Steps Community Input Review of full draft plan Coordinate feedback from City leaders, lived experience & constituents Finalize Plan & Develop Sub- Regional City Plans Finalize plan based on Community Input Develop action steps and metrics based on regional needs Ensure alignment with existing City Plans & Strategies Plan Adoption & Endorsement by County and Cities CoC Board Adoption (June) Execute process to obtain BOS and City Council endorsement Plan for implementation Mar. –May 2026 Mar. –May 2026 June –Dec. 2026 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS •Description of regional characteristics, priorities, and special populations •Summary of existing efforts and investments in homelessness • Framework of shared goals, strategies, and priorities that align with the Plan • Compilation of links to cities' own homelessness plans (where applicable) Sub-Regional Plans 4 Sub-Regional Groups: North County, West Valley, South County, San José THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS APRIL 2026 Additional Input Opportunities Draft Plan posted on the Office of Supportive Housing's website here. Four Community Convenings in North County, West Valley, South County, and San José North County Convening: ●Date: Thursday, April 30th, 6-8 pm ●Location: El Palo Alto Room at Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 94303 THE 2020-2025 COMMUNITY PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS 1.Are the Focus Areas included in the draft Plan reflective of the needs and goals of your community? 2.What would the Council like to see included as part of their sub-regional plan? 3.How can we work with the Council to help share this information with the community? Questions for Council to Consider: