Title
Status Report on Services for People Experiencing Homelessness, Housing, and Human Services in the City of Alameda
Body
To: Honorable President Scott Means and Members of the Social Service Human Relations Board
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Road Home: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to Prevent & Respond to Homelessness in Alameda (The Road Home <https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/departments/alameda/econ-dev-amp-comm-services/the-road-home-plan-adopted.pdf>) was developed by City staff in partnership with the Social Services and Human Relations Board (SSHRB) and City Council (Council). By acceptance of this plan in October 2021, the City of Alameda (City) committed to goals, strategies, and metrics to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community. Housing and Human Services staff actively work to carry out Council directed initiatives in cooperation with other City departments and social service providers to serve individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness in the City. Every six months, staff formally reports on progress to the SSHRB.
BACKGROUND
Together, Council and SSHRB have identified addressing homelessness as a key priority.
• In January of 2021, SSHRB began work on a five-year plan to address homelessness, culminating with the publication of The Road Home, which was approved by Council on October 5, 2021.
• On June 6, 2022, Council further endorsed through resolution the Alameda County Home Together 2026 Community Plan: A 5-Year Strategic Framework to End Homelessness in Alameda County (Home Together). A side-by-side comparison of The Road Home and Home Together goals highlights a need for Alameda to acknowledge and address the disproportionate effects of poverty and racism on people of color in our community, understand the root causes of homelessness, use public education to increase the compassion and understanding of homelessness, and foster cooperation between counties and cities to serve those in need.
• Effective July 1, 2023, the Housing and Human Services division of the City Manager’s Office was formed and reports to the Assistant City Manager.
• In 2024, SSHRB’s The Road Home work group was approved to move forward with an annual report detailing the progress on services.
• In November of 2024, City Council accepted the 2024 Progress Report on The Road Home.
The last Status Report of Emergency Response Services for the Homeless in the City of Alameda (Status Report) was delivered by staff member Marcie Soslau Johnson at the July 2024 SSHRB regular meeting (File #: 2024-4252).
DISCUSSION
Adopted by City Council on October 5, 2021, The Road Home outlines the following goals:
• GOAL 1: Secure a Housing Future for All Alamedans
• GOAL 2: Increase Access to Homeless Emergency Response Services
• GOAL 3: Mobilize Citywide Response to Homelessness
The primary purpose of The Road Home is to provide a roadmap to:
ü Prevent and reduce first-time homelessness;
ü Reduce chronic homelessness;
ü Shorten the period of time an individual or household remains homeless; and
ü Decrease returns to homelessness.
Programs that support the goals of The Road Home are housed in the Base Reuse and Economic Development Department, the Rent Program Department, and Housing and Human Services (HHS). This status report specifically reviews the ongoing progress of HHS strategies that support goals one through three of The Road Home.
GOAL 1: Secure a Housing Future for All Alamedans
Below Market Rate (BMR) Homeownership and Rental Housing:
In May 2025, a lottery was held for six moderate-income BMR units for sale at Alameda Landing’s Bay37 development. The City worked with the developer’s designated program administrator, HouseKeys, to review applicant files that were presented to the City for the BMR program’s eligibility and has since conditionally approved buyers for all six moderate-income BMRs. In June 2025, Rise Housing, on behalf of the City, began accepting applications for the City’s 2025 BMR homeownership waitlists to be utilized for future BMR homes offered for sale to very low-, low-, and moderate-income buyers. The City’s BMR homeownership waitlists remain open to accepting new applications until the California Department of Housing and Community Development (CA HCD) publishes the new state income limits. New lotteries will be conducted for the BMR homeownership waitlists annually after the newest state income limits are published by CA HCD. Based on construction timelines that the City has received, in the next six to eight months the City anticipates offering newly constructed BMR homes for sale at Bay 37 by Pulte, Alameda Marina by LandSea, and Skyline by Trumark (subject to construction completion). For BMR rental housing, the City worked with Launch’s and Star Harbor’s designated program administrators to review applicant files that were presented to the City to identify eligible renters for their remaining BMR rental units that were available during this time.
The Prohousing Incentive Program (PIP): The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is determined to alleviate the housing crisis by making additional community development resources available to local governments through the Prohousing Designation Program. PIP is designed to reward local governments that have received the Prohousing Designation with additional funding to accelerate affordable housing production and preservation. On September 9, 2025, the City received an award letter from the HCD for funding under the Prohousing Incentive Program. The letter constitutes a conditional commitment of an award in the amount of $1,000,000. HCD plans to issue a Standard Agreement soon which will allow the City of Alameda to use the funds for the Day Center Relocation project and program operations for Linnet Corner.
GOAL 2: Increase Access to Homeless Emergency Response Services
Prevention Program: As part of an ongoing and increased effort to address and prevent individuals and households from becoming unhoused, Council approved an additional $185,000 in funding for homelessness prevention. These funds allowed for the division to hire additional staff to provide part-time case management support to individuals and families at risk of becoming unhoused and towards aftercare services for Dignity Village residents. In addition, the division created a Resources List booklet filled with various resources for households at risk of homelessness. The Resources List booklet includes categories such as Affordable Housing rentals, eviction prevention legal assistance providers, back rent/move in financial assistance providers, utility assistance, and more. The booklet was finalized and is actively distributed to the public.
Flexible Funding: Contracts with service providers St. Vincent de Paul and Building Futures with Women and Children to administer and distribute one-time housing problem solving dollars to persons and households in need in the total amount of $75,000.
HHS Outreach Team: The division welcomed Camille Rodriguez, MSW, to the team to build out and lead the homelessness programs and outreach team for the city. The city also welcomed Annie Flores to the team as an engagement specialist. The division received approval from City Council to bring the outreach team in house.
Mobile/Street Outreach: VOL’s renewed agreement was approved in June of 2024 and extends through to September 2025. VOL identifies individuals in need, providing essential services like food and referrals, and getting individuals to accept services that help lead to housing and self-sufficiency.
Library Support: HHS provides on-site outreach and prevention services to the Library two days per week on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM - 5 PM.
Day Center Services: Day Center services were provided by our partner The Village of Love.
Day Center Services currently include:
• Up to 17 overnight, emergency shelter beds,
• Up to 25 safe parking spots that are co-located with the Day Center and where individuals receive comparable services, and
• Four City-owned trailers to house up to five individuals with priority given to the medically fragile
Emergency Supportive Housing at Alameda Point (up to 20 beds): Four City-owned homes offer up to 20 beds for individuals and families experiencing homelessness with on-site supportive services available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provided by VOL staff. From January to June 2025, the Emergency Shelter Houses served 25 clients in 17 households.
Dignity Village - Interim Supportive Housing (47 units, up to 61 beds): Since opening, Dignity Village has served 113 unduplicated individuals and moved 32 individuals into permanent housing. Program participants receive housing navigation services, case management, facilities maintenance, 24/7 security services, onsite clinical care, and are served in the City of Alameda. Operation Dignity has been the operator for Dignity Village effective January 1, 2025. They serve individuals experiencing homeless in Alameda with professionalism, compassion, and care.
Alameda Warming Shelter and Winter Warming Services (25 beds and 6 to 7 hotel rooms): Christ Episcopal Church (Christ Church) contracted Episcopal Community Services (ECS) to provide up to 25 winter warming shelter beds for the season. ECS rotated to three different Alameda-based parishes to serve overnight guests seven days a week. The Alameda Warming Shelter opened its doors for the season on December 1, 2024 and closed on March 31, 2025. Building Futures offered case management for individuals living on the streets to shelter indoors in a hotel room for the duration of the winter months. Medically fragile individuals and seniors are prioritized to be housed through Winter Warming Services in the hotel program.
Showers and Laundry services: The City continues to contract with WeHOPE to provide weekly showers and laundry through their Dignity on Wheels program. Services are hosted at the Day Center in collaboration with Village of Love (VOL) services as well as the mid-County Housing Resource Center, which is staffed by Building Futures. Christ Episcopal Church (Christ Church) opens their shower program on a weekly basis, and twice a week during Winter Warming Shelter months.
GOAL 3: Mobilize Citywide Response to Homelessness
Housing and Human Services: The Housing and Human Services (HHS) Division facilitates the preservation, rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing in Alameda; supports residents who are homeless or at risk of homelessness by providing services and shelter, as well as offering flexible funding; implements the affordable housing requirements of the City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance; manages grants that support the construction of new affordable housing; and collaborates with community and social service providers whose programs preserve safety net services for low-income residents, including, but not limited to children, youth, seniors and persons with disabilities. HHS staff also support the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) and the Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth and their Families (ACCYF).
Collaborative Process: City staff continue to support two reoccurring social service provider meeting spaces - Coordinated Outreach Team (COT) and Collaboration for Advancing Resources, Efforts, and Supports for Alameda’s Homeless (CARES). Both spaces are leveraged for the sharing of resources and coordination of services across the island. COT directly focuses on homelessness and homeless prevention.
CDBG Social Service Awards: As part of the annual CDBG planning process, the City released the CDBG Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and 2026 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Request for Proposals (RFP) on January 16, 2025. Staff provided the Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) with electronic access for its members to review and score each of the applications. The final recommendations were presented to City Council at the May 6, 2025 Public Hearing. The recommendations were approved by Council and recipients were recommended for funding for two consecutive years. The second year of funding is dependent on performance and City staff will evaluate programs to ensure program objectives and compliance is met. Based on the average score and highest priority need, staff recommended funding the top five applicants for the funding cycle.
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the status report on Services for Housing and Human Services in the City of Alameda.
Respectfully submitted,
Grecia Mannah-Ayon, Housing and Human Services Program Manager