AB 2161: Housing: homeless integrated data warehouse.

Existing law establishes various programs, including, among others, the Emergency Housing and Assistance Program, to provide assistance to homeless persons. Existing law also establishes the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to, among other things, create a statewide data system or warehouse that collects local data through homeless management information systems, with the ultimate goal of matching data on homelessness programs to programs impacting homeless recipients of state programs, as specified.

This bill would direct the Department of Housing and Community Development to create a state homeless integrated data warehouse, in coordination with the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council, to develop a composite portrayal of the homeless population in the state and the services provided to this population or to those at risk of becoming homeless. The bill would require that the information compiled for the database include the data necessary to make certain findings, including, among other things, the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, their access to benefits, and the stated reasons for their homelessness. The bill would require the department to coordinate with other state agencies to draft and carry out a strategy to create an integrated data warehouse comprised of integrate information to provide longitudinal, cost-based studies with relevant data, as specified. The bill would require the database to comply with all relevant state and federal laws regarding privacy and personally identifying information and encourage local agencies that provide services to homeless persons and use homeless management information systems to collaborate with the department, as specified.