Existing law requires the Governor to establish the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, and requires the council to, among other things, identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California, and promote systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness while focusing on designing systems to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Existing law sets forth the composition of the council, which includes, among others, the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, who serve as cochairs of the council.

This bill would add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the council described above.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 8257 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 799 to be operative only if this bill and AB 799 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law requires the Governor to establish the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, and requires the council to, among other things, identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California, and promote systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness while focusing on designing systems to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Existing law sets forth the composition of the council, which includes, among others, the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, who serve as cochairs of the council.

This bill would add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the council described above.

Existing law requires the Governor to establish the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, and requires the council to, among other things, identify mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California, and promote systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness while focusing on designing systems to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Existing law sets forth the composition of the council, which includes, among others, the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, who serve as cochairs of the council.

This bill would add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the council described above.

 VETO  

Bill No: SB 1443

Author: Jones (R)

Enrolled: 9/4/24

Vote: 27

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 4/1/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Menjivar, Wahab

SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 4/16/24

AYES: Skinner, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, Menjivar, Padilla, Seyarto, Umberg, Wahab

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/16/24

AYES: Caballero, Jones, Ashby, Becker, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0, 5/23/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

NO VOTE RECORDED: Allen, Archuleta, Newman

SENATE FLOOR: 40-0, 8/30/24

AYES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 8/28/24 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill makes changes to the membership of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate a federal response to homelessness and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to end homelessness. (42 United States Code (USC) 11311)
2. Defines, in federal statute, the word “homeless” for the purpose of housing assistance, to mean an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as:
3. A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
4. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals); or
5. Exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution. (42 Code of Federal Regulations 91.5)
6. Defines, in federal statute, the term “homeless individual with a disability” to mean an individual who is homeless and has a disability, as specified, that is:
7. Expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration; substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and, is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post- traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury;
8. A developmental disability, as defined; or
9. The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. (42 USC 11360(10))
10. Defines a “developmental disability” to mean a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age which continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual, including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism and related conditions, but excluding other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature. (Welfare & Institutions Code (WIC) 4512(a))
11. Establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), to include the following departments and offices: Aging; Community Services and Development; Developmental Services; Health Care Services; Child Support Services; Managed Health Care; Public Health; Rehabilitation; Social Services; and State Hospitals; Center for Data Insights and Innovation; the Emergency Medical Services Authority; the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Office of Systems Integration; the Office of Law Enforcement Support; the Office of the Surgeon General; the Office of Youth and Community Restoration; and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. (Government Code (GOV) 12803)
12. Establishes the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH), to include the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Business Oversight, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, the California Horse Racing Board, and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission. (GOV 12804)
13. Establishes the Cal ICH to oversee and coordinate the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations in California, and to identify resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. (WIC 8255 et. seq.)
14. Sets the goals for the Cal ICH including, but not limited to, identification of resources and services to prevent and end homelessness; creating partnerships among local, state, federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System, as provided. (WIC 8257(b))

This bill:

1. Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH.
2. Specifies that the representative may be the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Background

California Homelessness Data. Since 2016, homelessness in America, and particularly in California, has been growing at an increasing rate. Homelessness has been correlated with a number of negative effects, including high rates of chronic disease and acute illness, a broad range of mental health and substance use issues, greater exposure to violence, malnutrition, extreme weather, and criminal charges. The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically homeless individuals and families face and the lack of effective, coordinated services to address these problems often lead to a cycle of housing instability and health deterioration. Persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and employment services. Additionally, the conditions of homelessness often make it more difficult to exit homelessness, by creating barriers to the resources necessary to obtain income through training, education, and employment.

Each January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has local community Continuums of Care (CoCs) conduct a Point in Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness. HUD defines homelessness as either “sheltered” or “unsheltered”. Sheltered homelessness is when a person is living in a temporary place, such as a temporary shelter and unsheltered homelessness is living out in the open or in places not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (i.e. the streets, vehicles, or parks). The PIT count is required by HUD as a condition of receiving federal funding. According to the 2023 PIT count, 181,399 people experienced homelessness in California, representing 28 percent of the nation’s homelessness population. Additionally, Californians accounted for 49 percent of all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the nation (123,423 people), nearly eight times the number of unsheltered people in the state with the next highest number, Florida (30,756).

Disabilities and Chronic Homelessness. Under federal law, people experiencing chronic homelessness is partially defined to include, “people with disabilities who also experience extended or repeated episodes of homelessness”. A 2017 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) study reviewed data from the 2017 PIT data count and found: (1) people with disabilities were disproportionately represented among all people experiencing homelessness, (2) estimates suggested that on any given day about 24 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness (86,962 of 369,081 individuals) were people with disabilities who met the federal definition of experiencing chronic homelessness, (3) estimates suggest that about 10-15 percent of all individuals who enter homelessness will experience chronic homelessness, and, that (4) most of these individuals were living in major cities (57 percent) or smaller cities or counties (33 percent) rather than in rural areas.

Additionally, the USICH determined that more than six percent of adults living in permanent supportive housing in 2016 had a developmental disability. Permanent supportive housing is an evidence-based housing intervention that combines on-going rental assistance with supportive services such as health and mental health care for chronically homeless households. Permanent supportive housing, implemented through a Housing First approach, has been shown to help people with disabilities permanently stay out of homelessness, improve their health conditions, and significantly reduce their use of costly crisis services.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) was established as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is made up of a thirty-one (31) member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor. Federal law requires the SCDD to identify methods to improve and increase services for individuals and their families and to submit a State Plan for approval to the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. SCDD is headquartered in Sacramento, but has regional offices throughout California that provide advocacy assistance, training, monitoring and public information, among other things, so that the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities’ and their families’ rights are respected and protected. The SCDD’s regional offices also participate in developing and implementing the goals and work of Council.

California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH). SB 1220 (Rivas, L., Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to Cal ICH, named the secretaries of BCSH and Cal-HHS as co-chairs of the council, and changed the membership composition from one that included a mix of state and local agencies, persons who previously experienced homelessness, and homeless advocacy groups to one composed of state departments’ and offices’ directorate, including the Departments of Rehabilitation, Aging, Social Services, and the state’s Medicaid Director.

SB 1220 also created an advisory committee to provide guidance to, and meet at least twice a year with, the Cal ICH. The composition of the advisory committee must include the following: (1) a survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness; (2) representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in HUD’s CoCs Program; (3) stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states; (4) representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence; (5) a current or formerly homeless person who lives in California; and, (6) a current or formerly homeless youth who lives in California. The advisory committee must also designate one of its members to participate in the quarterly council meetings and provide a report to Cal ICH on their activities.

Cal ICH is tasked to continue the work it began as HCFC, which was created by SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016), such as coordinating the state’s response to homelessness, and creating partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, nonprofits, and federal agencies, among others. The Cal ICH has responsibility of administering and distributing funding associated with the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP), through which millions of dollars allocated through the state budget process are provided to local governments and CoCs to address immediate homelessness challenges. The Cal ICH also currently administers the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program. However, in June 2023, budget-related legislation transferred the administration of HHAPP, the Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program from Cal ICH to the Housing and Community Development Department beginning on July 1, 2024.

This bill requires Cal ICH to add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities as a member of the council and specifies the Executive Director may serve as that representative.

Related/Prior Legislation

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023) would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH. This bill was held by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1413 (Ting, 2023) would have transferred administrative duties to administer HHAPP, the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program to HCD. This bill was held in Senate Appropriation Committee; however, the bill’s language was included in the 2023 Budget Act.

SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022), as introduced, was identical to SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023). This bill was amended out of this Committee’s jurisdiction in the Assembly and later held by the Assembly Health Committee.

SB 1220 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed HCFC to the Cal ICH, named the Secretary of CalHHS as co-chair, reconstituted the Cal ICH membership, required the ICH to meet at least twice yearly with an advisory committee, among other things, and as provided.

AB 1845 (Luz Rivas, 2020) would have created the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness under the Direction of the Secretary of Homelessness and would have moved the HCFC from the BCSH Agency into the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness. This bill was vetoed by the Governor.

SB 918 (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018) required Cal ICH to set and measure progress towards goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California, as provided.

SB 850 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018) provided funding for homelessness initiatives, permitted the Governor to appoint up to 17 members to HCFC, including the Secretary BCSH or designee, to serve as chair, a representative from the Department of Transportation and a formerly homeless youth to serve on the Council, as provided.

SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016) created the HCFC to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness, as provided.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for one staff position to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.

While Cal-ICH notes any workload resulting from an increase in the size of the council is not absorbable, it seems unlikely adding one council member would require a full-time, rather than part-time, staff position. It seems likely the full-time staff position anticipated by Cal ICH would be available to perform other agency duties as well.

1. SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years. 

SUPPORT: (Verified 10/10/24)

Association of Regional Center Agencies
Aveanna Healthcare
California Community Living Network
California Disability Services Association
California State Council on Developmental Disabilities

OPPOSITION: (Verified 10/10/24)

None received

GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE:

This bill would add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to serve as a member of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH).

Cal ICH was created to coordinate an all-of-government approach to prevent and end homelessness in California. Cal ICH consists of 20 members, including the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Agency responsible for services for people with developmental disabilities and leading the Master Plan for Developmental Services. The Cal ICH Advisory Committee is also required to include a representative with a developmental disability who is currently or has formerly experienced homelessness.

Since Cal ICH already includes leaders from relevant state agencies and individuals with lived experience, the existing representation makes this bill unnecessary.

For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 8/28/24

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Cervantes, Ortega

Prepared by: Heather Hopkins / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

10/16/24 14:27:59

**** END ****

 UNFINISHED BUSINESS  

Bill No: SB 1443

Author: Jones (R)

Amended: 8/22/24

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 4/1/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Menjivar, Wahab

SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 4/16/24

AYES: Skinner, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, Menjivar, Padilla, Seyarto, Umberg, Wahab

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/16/24

AYES: Caballero, Jones, Ashby, Becker, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0, 5/23/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

NO VOTE RECORDED: Allen, Archuleta, Newman

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 8/28/24 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill makes changes to the membership of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Assembly Amendments

incorporate additional changes to Section 8257 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 799 (Luz Rivas) to be operative only if this bill and AB 799 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate a federal response to homelessness and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to end homelessness. (42 United States Code (USC) 11311)
2. Defines, in federal statute, the word “homeless” for the purpose of housing assistance, to mean an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as:
3. A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
4. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals); or
5. Exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution. (42 Code of Federal Regulations 91.5)
6. Defines, in federal statute, the term “homeless individual with a disability” to mean an individual who is homeless and has a disability, as specified, that is:
7. Expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration; substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and, is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post- traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury;
8. A developmental disability, as defined; or
9. The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. (42 USC 11360(10))
10. Defines a “developmental disability” to mean a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age which continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual, including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism and related conditions, but excluding other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature. (WIC 4512(a))
11. Establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), to include the following departments and offices: Aging; Community Services and Development; Developmental Services; Health Care Services; Child Support Services; Managed Health Care; Public Health; Rehabilitation; Social Services; and State Hospitals; Center for Data Insights and Innovation; the Emergency Medical Services Authority; the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Office of Systems Integration; the Office of Law Enforcement Support; the Office of the Surgeon General; the Office of Youth and Community Restoration; and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. (GOV 12803)
12. Establishes the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH), to include the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Business Oversight, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, the California Horse Racing Board, and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission. (GOV 12804)
13. Establishes the Cal ICH to oversee and coordinate the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations in California, and to identify resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. (WIC 8255 et. seq.)
14. Sets the goals for the Cal ICH including, but not limited to, identification of resources and services to prevent and end homelessness; creating partnerships among local, state, federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System, as provided. (WIC 8257(b))

This bill:

1. Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH.
2. Specifies that the representative may be the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Background

California Homelessness Data. Since 2016, homelessness in America, and particularly in California, has been growing at an increasing rate. Homelessness has been correlated with a number of negative effects, including high rates of chronic disease and acute illness, a broad range of mental health and substance use issues, greater exposure to violence, malnutrition, extreme weather, and criminal charges. The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically homeless individuals and families face and the lack of effective, coordinated services to address these problems often lead to a cycle of housing instability and health deterioration. Persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and employment services. Additionally, the conditions of homelessness often make it more difficult to exit homelessness, by creating barriers to the resources necessary to obtain income through training, education, and employment.

Each January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has local community Continuums of Care (CoCs) conduct a Point in Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness. HUD defines homelessness as either “sheltered” or “unsheltered”. Sheltered homelessness is when a person is living in a temporary place, such as a temporary shelter and unsheltered homelessness is living out in the open or in places not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (i.e. the streets, vehicles, or parks). The PIT count is required by HUD as a condition of receiving federal funding. According to the 2023 PIT count, 181,399 people experienced homelessness in California, representing 28 percent of the nation’s homelessness population. Additionally, Californians accounted for 49 percent of all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the nation (123,423 people), nearly eight times the number of unsheltered people in the state with the next highest number, Florida (30,756).

Disabilities and Chronic Homelessness. Under federal law, people experiencing chronic homelessness is partially defined to include, “people with disabilities who also experience extended or repeated episodes of homelessness”. A 2017 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) study reviewed data from the 2017 PIT data count and found: (1) people with disabilities were disproportionately represented among all people experiencing homelessness, (2) estimates suggested that on any given day about 24 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness (86,962 of 369,081 individuals) were people with disabilities who met the federal definition of experiencing chronic homelessness, (3) estimates suggest that about 10-15 percent of all individuals who enter homelessness will experience chronic homelessness, and, that (4) most of these individuals were living in major cities (57 percent) or smaller cities or counties (33 percent) rather than in rural areas.

Additionally, the USICH determined that more than six percent of adults living in permanent supportive housing in 2016 had a developmental disability. Permanent supportive housing is an evidence-based housing intervention that combines on-going rental assistance with supportive services such as health and mental health care for chronically homeless households. Permanent supportive housing, implemented through a Housing First approach, has been shown to help people with disabilities permanently stay out of homelessness, improve their health conditions, and significantly reduce their use of costly crisis services.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) was established as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is made up of a thirty-one (31) member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor. Federal law requires the SCDD to identify methods to improve and increase services for individuals and their families and to submit a State Plan for approval to the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. SCDD is headquartered in Sacramento, but has regional offices throughout California that provide advocacy assistance, training, monitoring and public information, among other things, so that the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities’ and their families’ rights are respected and protected. The SCDD’s regional offices also participate in developing and implementing the goals and work of Council.

California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH). SB 1220 (Rivas, L., Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to Cal ICH, named the secretaries of BCSH and Cal-HHS as co-chairs of the council, and changed the membership composition from one that included a mix of state and local agencies, persons who previously experienced homelessness, and homeless advocacy groups to one composed of state departments’ and offices’ directorate, including the Departments of Rehabilitation, Aging, Social Services, and the state’s Medicaid Director.

SB 1220 also created an advisory committee to provide guidance to, and meet at least twice a year with, the Cal ICH. The composition of the advisory committee must include the following: (1) a survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness; (2) representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoCs) Program; (3) stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states; (4) representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence; (5) a current or formerly homeless person who lives in California; and, (6) a current or formerly homeless youth who lives in California. The advisory committee must also designate one of its members to participate in the quarterly council meetings and provide a report to Cal ICH on their activities.

Cal ICH is tasked to continue the work it began as HCFC, which was created by SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016), such as coordinating the state’s response to homelessness, and creating partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, nonprofits, and federal agencies, among others. The Cal ICH has responsibility of administering and distributing funding associated with the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP), through which millions of dollars allocated through the state budget process are provided to local governments and CoCs to address immediate homelessness challenges. The Cal ICH also currently administers the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program. However, in June 2023, budget-related legislation transferred the administration of HHAPP, the Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program from Cal ICH to the Housing and Community Development Department beginning on July 1, 2024.

This bill would require Cal ICH to add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities as a member of the council and specifies the Executive Director may serve as that representative.

Comments

Fiscal Impact: According to Senate Appropriations, the Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for staffing resources to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies. The SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

Purpose of the Bill: According to the author, “California has almost 30 percent of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including the perspective of the Director of Developmental Services. Currently, neither the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) nor its associated advisory committee are required to include the Director of Developmental Services. SB 1443 adds the Director of Developmental Services to the Cal ICH advisory committee in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

Related/Prior Legislation

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023) would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH. This bill was held by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1413 (Ting, 2023) would have transferred administrative duties to administer HHAPP, the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program to HCD. This bill was held in Senate Appropriation Committee; however, the bill’s language was included in the 2023 Budget Act.

SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022), as introduced, was identical to SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023). This bill was amended out of this Committee’s jurisdiction in the Assembly and later held by the Assembly Health Committee.

SB 1220 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed HCFC to the Cal ICH, named the Secretary of CalHHS as co-chair, reconstituted the Cal ICH membership, required the ICH to meet at least twice yearly with an advisory committee, among other things, and as provided.

AB 1845 (Luz Rivas, 2020) would have created the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness under the Direction of the Secretary of Homelessness and would have moved the HCFC from the BCSH Agency into the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness. This bill was vetoed by the Governor.

SB 918 (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018) required Cal ICH to set and measure progress towards goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California, as provided.

SB 850 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018) provided funding for homelessness initiatives, permitted the Governor to appoint up to 17 members to HCFC, including the Secretary BCSH or designee, to serve as chair, a representative from the Department of Transportation and a formerly homeless youth to serve on the Council, as provided.

SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016) created the HCFC to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness, as provided.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

1. Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for one staff position to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.

While Cal-ICH notes any workload resulting from an increase in the size of the council is not absorbable, it seems unlikely adding one council member would require a full-time, rather than part-time, staff position. It seems likely the full-time staff position anticipated by Cal ICH would be available to perform other agency duties as well.

1. SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years. 

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/28/24)

Association of Regional Center Agencies
Aveanna Healthcare
California Community Living Network
California Disability Services Association
Scdd

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/28/24)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 77-0, 8/28/24

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Cervantes, Ortega

Prepared by: Heather Hopkins / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

8/28/24 22:27:35

**** END ****

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 1443

Author:(Jones)

As Amended Ver:August 22, 2024

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

Major Provisions

Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

COMMENTS

Cal-ICH: In 2016, SB 1380 (Mitchell), Chapter 847, created the Homelessness Coordinating and Financing Council, which in 2021 was renamed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) (AB 1220 (L. Rivas), Chapter 398) to coordinate the state's response to homelessness. SB 1380 required all state housing and homelessness programs to comply with Housing First principles. Cal-ICH was responsible for ensuring that all state housing and homelessness programs follow Housing First principles by July 1, 2019. In addition, SB 1380 (Mitchell) set out a list of "goals" for Cal-ICH to focus on but no clear authority to make changes to state policy or programs that address homelessness

The governance structure of Cal-ICH has also evolved since its creation. In addition to changing the name of council, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) appointed the Secretary of the California HHS Agency as co-chair of Cal-ICH with the Secretary of the BCSH Agency. In addition, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) removed people with lived experience of homelessness from the council membership and placed them on an advisory board, and required staff of agencies and departments of the Cal-ICH to participate in council work groups or task forces at the request of the council.

SB 1421 (Jones, Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022) added a current or formerly homeless person with a developmental disability to the advisory committee of Cal-ICH. This bill would add a representative from the SCDD to the members of the Cal-ICH.

CA-ICH developed two major work products in the past few years: an Action Plan and a state HDIS.

SCDD: SCDD is responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of services and supports to more than 360,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. According to the SCDD's website, SCDD "works to ensure Californians with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to make choices and lead independent, productive lives as members of their communities in the least restrictive setting possible."

Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness in California (Action Plan): In March 2021, Cal-ICH adopted an Action Plan with specified goals that member agencies approved and agreed to work on collaboratively. The Action Plan required the creation of five work groups to address to address the following priorities:

1. Maximizing the Impact of State Funding and Programs Addressing Homelessness;
2. Racial Equity in Responses to Homelessness and Housing Instability;
3. Tailoring Strategies for Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Youth and Young Adults;
4. Strengthening Employment Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Experiences of Homelessness; and
5. Preventing Homelessness Among People Transitioning Back into Communities from Corrections Settings.

State Homelessness Data Integration System (HDIS): Cal-ICH also launched a state HDIS system that captures the information collected and tracked in local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) databases. CoCs manage HMIS, local information technology systems used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards.

All 44 CoCs in the state have entered into contracts to provide their HMIS data to Cal-ICH. HDIS is intended to give the state a more accurate picture of the local homelessness response system and inform the state's response to homelessness. Using data from HDIS, the state recently developed a Statewide Landscape Assessment. AB 140 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 111, Statutes of 2021, required BCSH to conduct or contract with an entity to develop this landscape assessment. The purpose of the landscape assessment was to evaluate the existing funding allocated within the various state departments to prevent and end homelessness and link the funds to the actual services and resources state agencies utilize them to provide. The assessment, the first of its kind done in California, allows for more accurate data collection for targeting future investments more effectively.

The next step for HDIS is to use the data to determine if people experiencing homelessness are receiving the state and federal benefits they are eligible for and that could help increase their income to reduce their housing insecurity. AB 977 (Gabriel), Chapter 397, Statutes of 2021, required all state agencies and departments administering programs that serve people who may be experiencing homelessness to enter their data into HDIS so that locals can determine if people in the local HMIS are eligible for, or enrolled in, all of the safety net programs for which they may be eligible. Although this requirement is in statute, there are no outcome requirements for the Legislature to determine if this coordination is occurring and its effectiveness in resolving individual homelessness, nor did the landscape assessment contain any specific outcome evaluations.

According to the Author

"California has almost 30% (181,399 people) of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state's growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Currently, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is not required to include a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. SB 1443 adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective."

Arguments in Support

According to SCDD, "30% to 40% of the homeless population have a cognitive impairment, including traumatic brain injury, learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to Psychology Today. The Homelessness and Housing Needs Report from the California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (February 2024) found that 675 persons with I/DD receiving assistance in regional centers were identified as homeless (there are data limitations to get an accurate count and number could be much higher.) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) amounts are sole sources of income for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and limit where they can live. These amounts fall below the federal poverty level. Approximately 24,000 (number can be higher) are severely rent burdened meaning persons with I/DD pay more than 50% of their income toward rent but most are unable to secure a place at all with the SSI monies they receive. This puts the I/DD population at greater risk of housing instability or homelessness."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations:

1. Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for one staff position to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.

While Cal-ICH notes any workload resulting from an increase in the size of the council is not absorbable, it seems unlikely adding one council member would require a full-time, rather than part-time, staff position. It seems likely the full-time staff position anticipated by Cal ICH would be available to perform other agency duties as well.

1. SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years. 

VOTES

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0-3

YES: Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Allen, Archuleta, Newman

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 9-0-0

YES: Ward, Joe Patterson, Grayson, Kalra, Lee, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Sanchez, Haney

ASM HUMAN SERVICES: 6-0-1

YES: Lee, Essayli, Calderon, Jackson, Dixon, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Gipson

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-1

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua

ABS, ABST OR NV: Jim Patterson

UPDATED

VERSION: August 22, 2024

CONSULTANT: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0004373

SENATE THIRD READING

STR Bill Id:SB 1443

Author:(Jones)

As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2024

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

Major Provisions

Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

COMMENTS

Cal-ICH: In 2016, SB 1380 (Mitchell), Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016 created the Homelessness Coordinating and Financing Council, which in 2021 was renamed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) (AB 1220 (L. Rivas), Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) to coordinate the state's response to homelessness. SB 1380 required all state housing and homelessness programs to comply with Housing First principles. Cal-ICH was responsible for ensuring that all state housing and homelessness programs follow Housing First principles by July 1, 2019. In addition, SB 1380 (Mitchell) set out a list of "goals" for Cal-ICH to focus on but no clear authority to make changes to state policy or programs that address homelessness

The governance structure of Cal-ICH has also evolved since its creation. In addition to changing the name of council, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) appointed the Secretary of the California HHS Agency as co-chair of Cal-ICH with the Secretary of the BCSH Agency. In addition, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) removed people with lived experience of homelessness from the council membership and placed them on an advisory board, and required staff of agencies and departments of the Cal-ICH to participate in council work groups or task forces at the request of the council.

SB 1421 (Jones), Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022 added a current or formerly homeless person with a developmental disability to the advisory committee of Cal-ICH. This bill would add a representative from the SCDD to the members of the Cal-ICH.

CA-ICH developed two major work products in the past few years: an Action Plan and a state HDIS.

SCDD: SCDD is responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of services and supports to more than 360,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. According to the SCDD's website, SCDD "works to ensure Californians with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to make choices and lead independent, productive lives as members of their communities in the least restrictive setting possible."

Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness in California (Action Plan): In March 2021, Cal-ICH adopted an Action Plan with specified goals that member agencies approved and agreed to work on collaboratively. The Action Plan required the creation of five work groups to address to address the following priorities:

1. Maximizing the Impact of State Funding and Programs Addressing Homelessness;
2. Racial Equity in Responses to Homelessness and Housing Instability;
3. Tailoring Strategies for Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Youth and Young Adults;
4. Strengthening Employment Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Experiences of Homelessness; and
5. Preventing Homelessness Among People Transitioning Back into Communities from Corrections Settings.

State Homelessness Data Integration System (HDIS): Cal-ICH also launched a state HDIS system that captures the information collected and tracked in local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) databases. CoCs manage HMIS, local information technology systems used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards.

All 44 CoCs in the state have entered into contracts to provide their HMIS data to Cal-ICH. HDIS is intended to give the state a more accurate picture of the local homelessness response system and inform the state’s response to homelessness. Using data from HDIS, the state recently developed a Statewide Landscape Assessment. AB 140 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 111, Statutes of 2021, required BCSH to conduct or contract with an entity to develop this landscape assessment. The purpose of the landscape assessment was to evaluate the existing funding allocated within the various state departments to prevent and end homelessness and link the funds to the actual services and resources state agencies utilize them to provide. The assessment, the first of its kind done in California, allows for more accurate data collection for targeting future investments more effectively.

The next step for HDIS is to use the data to determine if people experiencing homelessness are receiving the state and federal benefits they are eligible for and that could help increase their income to reduce their housing insecurity. AB 977 (Gabriel), Chapter 397, Statutes of 2021, required all state agencies and departments administering programs that serve people who may be experiencing homelessness to enter their data into HDIS so that locals can determine if people in the local HMIS are eligible for, or enrolled in, all of the safety net programs for which they may be eligible. Although this requirement is in statute, there are no outcome requirements for the Legislature to determine if this coordination is occurring and its effectiveness in resolving individual homelessness, nor did the landscape assessment contain any specific outcome evaluations.

According to the Author

"California has almost 30% (181,399 people) of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state's growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Currently, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is not required to include a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. SB 1443 adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective."

Arguments in Support

According to SCDD, “30% to 40% of the homeless population have a cognitive impairment, including traumatic brain injury, learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to Psychology Today. The Homelessness and Housing Needs Report from the California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (February 2024) found that 675 persons with I/DD receiving assistance in regional centers were identified as homeless (there are data limitations to get an accurate count and number could be much higher.) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) amounts are sole sources of income for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and limit where they can live. These amounts fall below the federal poverty level. Approximately 24,000 (number can be higher) are severely rent burdened meaning persons with I/DD pay more than 50% of their income toward rent but most are unable to secure a place at all with the SSI monies they receive. This puts the I/DD population at greater risk of housing instability or homelessness."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations:

1. Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for one staff position to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.

While Cal-ICH notes any workload resulting from an increase in the size of the council is not absorbable, it seems unlikely adding one council member would require a full-time, rather than part-time, staff position. It seems likely the full-time staff position anticipated by Cal ICH would be available to perform other agency duties as well.

1. SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

According to the Legislative Analyst's Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years. 

VOTES

SENATE FLOOR: 37-0-3

YES: Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Allen, Archuleta, Newman

ASM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: 9-0-0

YES: Ward, Joe Patterson, Grayson, Kalra, Lee, Quirk-Silva, Reyes, Sanchez, Haney

ASM HUMAN SERVICES: 6-0-1

YES: Lee, Essayli, Calderon, Jackson, Dixon, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Gipson

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-1

YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua

ABS, ABST OR NV: Jim Patterson

UPDATED

VERSION: February 16, 2024

CONSULTANT: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085 FN: 0003965

Date of Hearing: July 2, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1443

Author:(Jones) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2024

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for one staff position to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.

While Cal-ICH notes any workload resulting from an increase in the size of the council is not absorbable, it seems unlikely adding one council member would require a full-time, rather than part-time, staff position. It seems likely the full-time staff position anticipated by Cal ICH would be available to perform other agency duties as well.

1. SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years. 

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. The author intends this bill to ensure the experiences of people with developmental disabilities are included in the efforts to end homelessness. According to the author:

In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the SCDD. Currently, Cal ICH is not required to include a representative from the SCDD. [This bill] adds a representative from SCDD to Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.

1. Background. Cal ICH. Existing law establishes Cal ICH within the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency for the broad purpose of coordinating the state’s response to homelessness. Existing law identifies specific goals for Cal ICH, including, but not limited to, identifying resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California, creating partnerships among local, state, and federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System. The Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency and the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency serve as co-chairs of the council. Existing law requires the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to provide staff for the council.

Cal ICH must meet quarterly and is comprised of 20 members from various state departments including the directors of the state departments of Housing and Community Development, Social Services, Veterans Affairs, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Aging, Rehabilitation, and State Hospitals, among others, as well as representatives from the Department of Education and the higher education system.

AB 1220 (Luz Rivas), Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021, among other changes, reconstituted Cal ICH’s membership and added an advisory committee within Cal ICH that meets twice a year. SB 1421 (Jones), Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022, required Cal ICH to appoint an individual with a developmental disability who is currently or has formerly experienced homelessness to the council’s advisory committee.

Unlike for other targeted populations, such as seniors, veterans, former inmates, and low-income families, there is no direct, state-level representation of people with developmental disabilities on Cal ICH. In order to ensure equitable representation, this bill adds a representative from SCDD to the Cal ICH membership.

SCDD. SCDD was established by the federal Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act as well as the state Lanterman Act as an independent state agency to ensure individuals with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is a thirty-one member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor.

1. Related Legislation. SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh), of this legislative session, is substantially similar to this bill. SB 246 was held on this committee’s suspense file.

SB 842 (Jones), of this legislative session, as introduced would have added the Director of Developmental Services to Cal-ICH. SB 842 passed out of this committee but was later amended to address a different subject with a new author.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: June 25, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Alex Lee, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1443

Author:(Jones) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2024

SENATE VOTE: 37-0

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

SUMMARY: Expands the membership of the California Interagency on Homelessness (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD).

EXISTING LAW:

Federal law:

1. Establishes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness as authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, to coordinate a federal response to homelessness and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to end homelessness. (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] §§ 11301-11311)
2. Defines, in federal statute, the word “homeless” for the purpose of housing assistance, to mean an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as:
3. A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
4. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals); or,
5. Exiting an institution where an individual resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution. (42 U.S.C. § 11302)
6. Defines continuums of care (CoCs) to mean the group organized to carry out the responsibilities required under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and that includes representatives of organizations, including nonprofit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve homeless and formerly homeless veterans, and homeless and formerly homeless persons to the extent these groups are represented within the geographic area and are available to participate. (24 Code of Federal Regulations § 578.3)

State law:

1. Defines “Housing First” to mean the evidence-based model that uses housing as a tool, rather than a reward, for recovery and that centers on providing or connecting homeless people to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Housing First providers offer services as needed and requested on a voluntary basis and do not make housing contingent on participation in services. It includes time-limited rental or services assistance, so long as the housing and service provider assists the recipient in accessing permanent housing and in securing longer-term rental assistance, income assistance, or employment. (Welfare and Institutions Code [WIC] § 8255(d))
2. States Legislative findings and declarations about homelessness, the housing shortfall and other related issues including: the Legislature finds and declares that there exists within the urban and rural areas of the state a significant number of persons without decent, safe, and sanitary housing. This shortage is inimical to the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of this state and the sound growth of its communities. (Health and Safety Code § 50003.3)
3. Establishes Cal ICH to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the Housing First guidelines and regulations in California, and to identify resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. (WIC § 8255 et. seq)
4. Establishes the following goals for Cal ICH:
5. To create partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, participants in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program, federal agencies, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, nonprofit entities working to end homelessness, homeless services providers, and the private sector, for the purpose of arriving at specific strategies to end homelessness;
6. To promote systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness while focusing on designing systems to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness, including unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age;
7. To coordinate existing funding and applications for competitive funding;
8. To make policy and procedural recommendations to legislators and other governmental entities;
9. To identify and seek funding opportunities for state entities that have programs to end homelessness, including, but not limited to, federal and philanthropic funding opportunities, and to facilitate and coordinate those state entities’ efforts to obtain that funding;
10. To broker agreements between state agencies and departments and between state agencies and departments and local jurisdictions to align and coordinate resources, reduce administrative burdens of accessing existing resources, and foster common applications for services, operating, and capital funding;
11. To serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy development resource on ending homelessness in California;
12. To report to the Governor, federal Cabinet members, and the Legislature on homelessness and work to reduce homelessness;
13. To ensure accountability and results in meeting the strategies and goals of the council;
14. To identify and implement strategies to fight homelessness in small communities and rural areas;
15. To create a statewide data system or warehouse, which shall be known as the Homeless Data Integration System, which collects local data through Homeless Management Information Systems, with the ultimate goal of matching data on homelessness to programs impacting homeless recipients of state programs, such as the Medi-Cal program and the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program. Requires, upon creation of the Homeless Data Integration System, all CoCs that are operating in California to provide collected data elements, including, but not limited to, health information, in a manner consistent with federal law, to the Homeless Data Integration System.
16. To set goals to prevent and end homelessness among California’s youth;
17. To improve the safety, health, and welfare of young people experiencing homelessness in the state;
18. To increase system integration and coordinating efforts to prevent homelessness among youth who are currently or formerly involved in the child welfare system or the juvenile justice system;
19. To lead efforts to coordinate a spectrum of funding, policy, and practice efforts related to young people experiencing homelessness;
20. To identify best practices to ensure homeless minors who may have experienced maltreatment, regarding neglect and abuse as described in existing law, are appropriately referred to, or have the ability to self-refer to, the child welfare system; and,
21. To collect, compile, and make available to the public financial data provided to the council from all state-funded homelessness programs. (WIC § 8257(b))
22. Establishes the SCDD with authority independent of any single state service agency. (WIC § 4520(a).

FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 26, 2024:

• The Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for staffing resources to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.
• The SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

COMMENTS:

Background: Homelessness in California. Over 181,000 individuals in California experience homelessness on any given night, based on the most recent annual point-in-time (PIT) count conducted in January 2023. This is largely considered an undercount of the actual number of people experiencing homelessness because it does not consider those who are couch-surfing or temporarily housed in non-traditional shelters. Of those 181,000 individuals, over 123,000 are unsheltered, meaning they live on the streets, sleep in cars, camp in parks, or are otherwise staying in places not meant for human habitation. Based on the 2023 PIT count, 71,150 people in the state are chronically homeless, and of those, 54,629 are unsheltered. Each of these numbers represents an increase from the 2022 PIT count.

The causes and duration of homelessness are varied. Some individuals experiencing homelessness are chronically homeless, meaning they have experienced homelessness for at least a year, or repeatedly, while struggling with a disabling condition such as a serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or physical disability. An individual is considered chronically homeless if they have a disability as defined under federal law; are living in a place not meant for human habitation, safe haven, or an emergency shelter; and have been homeless for at least 12 months or on at least four separate occasions in the last three years. In addition, an individual who has been residing in an institutional care facility, including jail, substance use disorder or mental health treatment facility, hospital, or another similar facility, for fewer than 90 days and met all of the criteria previously stated is also considered chronically homeless.

Although some individuals struggle with substance use disorders or mental illness, a growing group of people fall into homelessness due to a mismatch between wages and housing costs. According to findings by United Ways of California, one in three households in the state does not earn enough money to meet their basic needs.

According to the 2022 Statewide Housing Plan, published by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), to meet California’s unmet housing needs, the state needs an additional 2.5 million housing units, including 1.2 million for lower-income households. Decades of underbuilding have led to a lack of housing overall, particularly housing that is affordable to lower-income households. The state needs an additional 180,000 new units of housing a year to keep up with demand – including about 80,000 units of housing affordable to lower-income households. By contrast, production in the past decade has been under 100,000 units per year – including less than 20,000 units of affordable housing.

Homelessness among Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. According to a January 2024 report released by the California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, the affordable housing crisis disproportionately impacts people with disabilities because the majority live on fixed incomes that place them at or near poverty levels. The report took a look at adults served by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the regional center system in California to identify the scope and severity of this issue. According to the 2021-22 data, there are 144,446 individuals 22 years of age and over who reside in the family home (93,906), community care facilities (22,795), or independent living services/supported living services (27,745). According to the report, “Another factor to consider in estimating housing

need for individuals served by the regional center system is how many are living with aging caregivers. Living with an aging caregiver is not determinative of an imminent or immediate housing need, however it does increase the risk of housing instability as their caregivers continue to age and perhaps struggle with their own health conditions or pass away. While some families are able to put their home in a trust, or establish a legacy home, many families simply do not have the resources or ability to provide or maintain housing for their loved one for the duration of their loved one’s life.”

California Interagency Council on Homelessness, formerly known as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC), was established through the enactment of SB 1380 (Mitchell), Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016, in an effort to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness. As created by SB 1380, HCFC was housed within HCD, which was also responsible for providing staff for HCFC.

SB 850 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 48, Statues of 2018, moved HCFC from HCD to the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. SB 850 also authorized the creation of an executive director to oversee HCFC, as well as the allocation of several staff members.

AB 1220 (Luz Rivas), Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021, changed the name of HCFS to Cal ICH and reconstituted its membership. AB 1220 also established an advisory committee within Cal ICH that meets twice a year, and is composed of the following members: a survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness; a person with a disability who formerly experienced homelessness; representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in the federal Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care Program; stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states; representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence; and a current or formerly homeless person and youth who lives in California. AB 1220 authorized one advisory committee member to be chosen to participate in the quarterly council meetings and to report their committee’s activities to Cal ICH.

Additionally, SB 1421 (Jones), Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022, required Cal ICH to appoint an individual with a developmental disability who is currently or has formerly experienced homelessness, to the Council’s advisory committee.

Cal ICH was created in part to oversee the state’s implementation of Housing First. By July 1, 2019, agencies and departments administering state programs relating to homelessness were required to collaborate with Cal ICH to revise or adopt guidelines and regulations that incorporate core components of Housing First. To that end, Cal ICH has adopted a Housing First Checklist to be used by state agencies to assess their homelessness-related programs and make recommendations on any changes required to bring their programs into alignment with the Housing First statute.

In March of 2021, Cal ICH adopted an Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness (Action Plan), which was then updated in September of 2023. The expectation is for the plan to be updated every year to reflect current priorities. According to Cal ICH, “Driving progress on preventing and ending homelessness requires multi-pronged, multi-year strategies across sectors and systems, supported by data analyses, performance measures, and metrics to assess, refine, and revise those strategies. It also requires a focus on racial equity and an incorporation of people with lived expertise in order to address the disparities that currently exist in our systems.”

As part of the Action Plan, five action areas were developed to prevent and end homelessness and the action areas identify the activities, lead and collaborating department, timeframe, and performance measurements needed to achieve the objectives.

Some of the directives specific to individuals with disabilities in the action areas include:

• Educate CoC organizations across California to connect individuals with disabilities to Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) employment services that can be provided to people with disabilities who are being served within the homelessness response systems’ housing and services programs;
• Implement the Community Care Expansion program to expand and preserve residential care settings for seniors and adults with disabilities including permanent supportive housing and licensed adult and senior care beds;
• Implement transition and diversion funds, including rental assistance resources, for people with disabilities who are discharged from an institutional setting and at-risk of homelessness and for individuals who are homeless and at-risk of institutionalization;
• Implement HUD Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program to expand the supply of supportive housing that promotes community integration for low-income people with disabilities; assess pilot efforts to address the housing and employment services needs of people with disabilities within state prison facilities;
• Through the Community Living Fund, support people with disabilities to successfully transition from nursing homes and other institutional settings to community living opportunities and prevent people from going into institutional settings and losing stable housing;
• Pilot efforts to improve continuum of services for youth with disabilities; and,
• Identify and implement strategies to serve older adults and people with disabilities at risk of experiencing homelessness, including meeting the need for in-home supports and access to licensed adult and senior care facilities.

The California State Auditor released a report on April 9, 2024, entitled, “Homelessness in California. The State Must Do More to Assess the Cost‑Effectiveness of Its Homelessness Programs,” which included recommendations to Cal ICH to ensure that its 2024 update to its action plans aligns with the statutory goals that the Legislature has established. The recommendation was for Cal ICH to clearly identify in that update the statutory goal or goals that each of the action plan’s objectives addresses.

Cal ICH is required to hold public meetings at least once every quarter. The current makeup of Cal ICH includes 20 members: four Cabinet Secretaries, 14 state department heads, and two community leaders appointed by the Legislature, as follows:

• The Secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing and the Secretary of California Health and Human Services Agency, who both serve as co-chairs.
• The Director of the California Department of Transportation.
• The Director of HCD.
• The Director of the California Department of Social Services.
• The Director of the California Housing Finance Agency.
• The Director or the State Medicaid Director of Health Care Services.
• The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
• The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
• The Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee in the Treasurer’s office.
• The State Public Health Officer.
• The Director of the California Department of Aging.
• The Director of DOR.
• The Director of State Hospitals.
• The executive director of the California Workforce Development Board.
• The Director of the Office of Emergency Services.
• A representative from the State Department of Education, as appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
• A representative of the state public higher education system from one of the following:
• The California Community Colleges.
• The University of California.
• The California State University.

In addition, the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly each appoint one member to Cal ICH from two different stakeholder organizations. Cal ICH is authorized, at its discretion, to invite stakeholders, individuals who have experienced homelessness, members of philanthropic communities, and experts to participate in meetings or provide information to the council.

This bill would add a representative from SCDD to the membership of Cal ICH.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities. SCDD’s mission is to advocate, promote and implement policies and practices that achieve self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all aspects of community life for Californians with developmental disabilities and their families.

SCDD was established under the federal Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act and the state Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Lanterman Act) to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the planning, design, and receipt of the services and supports they need to promote independence, productivity, inclusion, and self-determination. The Lanterman Act is a set of laws that guarantees services and supports to individuals with disabilities and their families so that the individual can live in the community in the same way as individuals who do not have disabilities.

SCDD identifies methods to improve and increase services for individuals and their families, which then is submitted as a State Plan to the federal government. SCDD has 31 members who are all Governor’s appointees and includes individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners, and state agencies. SCDD has 12 regional offices that provide advocacy assistance, training, monitoring, and public information to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Author’s Statement: According to the Author, “California has almost 30% (181,399 people) of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, in a 2023 survey, Californians named homelessness as the second most important problem facing California. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Currently, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is not required to include a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. [This bill] adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

Equity Implications: The provisions of this bill seek to expand the perspectives of Cal ICH by including a representative from SCDD, who can provide the experiences of the developmentally disabled and their intersection with homelessness.

According to Cal ICH’s Action Plan, “Among California’s homeless population, approximately 67% are unsheltered and 33% are sheltered. People experiencing chronic homelessness experience a higher rate of unsheltered homelessness at 76%, and are people with disabilities, one of the fastest growing populations experiencing homelessness.”

Cal ICH was formed to address the challenges faced by one of California's most vulnerable populations—the homeless community. Given the diverse causes and issues surrounding homelessness, it is essential for Cal ICH to have a comprehensive range of perspectives at its disposal as they continue to address this issue. Adding to the perspectives of Cal ICH can enhance the understanding of the unique challenges encountered by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

People with developmental disabilities often encounter obstacles that increase their susceptibility to homelessness or put them at risk of becoming homeless. For instance, individuals with disabilities may face homelessness later in life due to the loss of a primary caregiver. By including a representative of SCDD, Cal ICH’s awareness of these specific issues would be heightened, enabling them to provide more effective support to this vulnerable community. This representative could help foster a deeper comprehension of the services required by individuals with developmental disabilities and facilitate their connection to such services.

People with disabilities are the most likely population to experience homelessness, be rent-burdened or unable to afford housing, and face the highest rates of housing discrimination. This is due to most of these individuals living on fixed incomes that are at or near poverty-level thresholds and the increased need for ADA-compliant homes.

Although generally accepted as an undercount due to challenges with identifying developmental disabilities among the homeless population, over 1,200 individuals with developmental disabilities have been identified as experiencing homelessness, and another 24,000 regional center consumers who are likely to experience being rent-burdened or seriously rent-burdened (California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2024).

Double referral: This bill was previously heard in the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development on June 11, 2024, and was approved on a 9-0 vote.

RELATED AND PRIOR LEGISLATION:

AB 799 (Luz Rivas) of the current legislative session, requires Cal ICH, through specified working groups, to establish and regularly update a financing plan to solve homelessness by 2035, including funding necessary to create enough housing to meet the unmet housing needs of people experiencing homelessness. Requires Cal ICH, no later than January 1, 2025, in collaboration with CoCs, counties, big cities, and other stakeholders, to establish and update statewide performance metrics to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in homelessness and to increase successful exits from homelessness to permanent housing by updating the Action Plan. AB 799 is pending on the Senate Floor.

AB 2207 (Reyes) of the current legislative session, expands the membership of various advisory groups and bodies, including Cal ICH, to include the Executive Director of the California Commission on Aging. AB 2207 is pending before the Senate Health Committee and is set for a hearing on June 3, 2024.

AB 2903 (Hoover) of the current legislative session, requires, beginning June 1, 2025, a state agency or department that administers one or more state homelessness programs to annually report cost and outcome data to Cal ICH for each state-funded homelessness program the agency or department administers. AB 2903 is pending before the Senate Human Services Committee.

AB 129 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 40, Statutes of 2023, allowed Cal ICH staff to share information from the Homeless Data Integration System with a state agency or department that is a member of the council. Allowed all members of the advisory committee to participate remotely in advisory committee meetings, including meetings held with the council, and clarified no members are required to be present at the designated primary physical location. Provided that members of the council, advisory committee, or working groups who are or have been homeless may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel or other expenses, as specified.

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh) of 2023, was identical to this bill. SB 246 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

AB 820 (Reyes) of 2023, would have added representatives from organizations that serve or advocate on behalf of older adults to specified state boards, committees and councils, including Cal ICH. AB 820 was held on the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file.

SB 842 (Jones) of 2023, made changes to the membership of Cal ICH by adding the director of the DDS to the Council. SB 842 included an urgency clause for the provisions to go into immediate effect if passed. SB 824 was substantially amended on September 8, 2023, and no longer fell under the jurisdiction of this committee.

AB 1592 (Dixon) of 2023, would have required Cal ICH to report annually to the Governor, federal Cabinet members, and the Legislature, commencing June 30, 2026, on homelessness and work to reduce homelessness, and would have required the report to include the cost per person and distribution of funding within HUD’s CoC program by city and census-designated area. AB 1592 died in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee without being set for a hearing.

SB 1421 (Jones), Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022, see comments above.

SB 1134 (Melendez) of 2022, would have made changes to the membership Cal ICH by adding the Director of DDS to the Council. SB 1134 was substantially amended on May 24, 2022, and no longer fell under the jurisdiction of this committee.

AB 1220 (Luz Rivas), Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021, see comments above.

SB 333 (Wilk) of 2019, would have assigned additional duties to HCFC. SB 333 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

SB 687 (Rubio), Chapter 345, Statutes of 2019, required the Governor to appoint one representative from either the California Community Colleges, University of California, or California State University to HCFC.

SB 918 (Wiener), Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018, established the “Homeless Youth Act of 2018” to better serve the state’s homeless youth population and required HCFC to take on additional related responsibilities that are focused on addressing the needs of youth experiencing homelessness.

SB 792 (Wilk) of 2018, would have required the Council to develop and implement a statewide strategic plan for addressing homelessness in California and to better implement recommended activities and meet HUD requirements by July 1, 2020. SB 792 was held on the Assembly Appropriations Committee suspense file.

SB 850 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018, see comments above.

SB 1380 (Mitchell), Chapter 847, Statues of 2016, see comments above.

AB 1618 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 43, Statutes of 2016, established the “No Place Like Home Program” to further the development of permanent supportive housing for persons who are in need of mental health services and are homeless, chronically homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Association of Regional Center Agencies

Aveanna Healthcare

California Community Living Network

California Disability Services Association

California State Council on Developmental Disabilities

SCDD

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Jessica Langtry / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089

Date of Hearing: June 12, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Christopher M. Ward, Chair

SBPCA Bill Id:SB 1443

Author:(Jones) – As Introduced Ver:February 16, 2024

SENATE VOTE: 37-0

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

SUMMARY: Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

EXISTING LAW:

1. Defines “Housing First” as the evidence-based model that uses housing as a tool, rather than a reward, for recovery and that centers on providing or connecting homeless people to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Housing First providers offer services as needed and requested on a voluntary basis and that do not make housing contingent on participation in services. Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 8255)
2. Establishes Cal-ICH to coordinate the State’s response to homelessness using Housing First practices with a number of goals including, but not limited to:
3. Creating partnerships among state agencies and departments;
4. Promoting systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness; and
5. Coordinating existing funding and application for competitive funding. (WIC Section 8255)
6. Establishes the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) and the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) as co-chairs of Cal-ICH, which consists of 20 other members, including:
   1. The Director of Transportation;
   2. The Director of Housing and Community Development;
   3. The Director of Social Services;
   4. The Director of the California Housing Finance Agency;
   5. The Director or the State Medicaid Director of Health Care Services;
   6. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
   7. The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
   8. The Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee in the State Treasurer’s Office;
   9. The State Public Health Officer;
   10. The Director of the California Department of Aging;
   11. The Director of Rehabilitation;
   12. The Director of State Hospitals;
   13. The Executive Director of the California Workforce Development Board;
   14. The Director of the Office of Emergency Services;
   15. A representative from the State Department of Education;
   16. A representative of the state public higher education system from one of the following:
       1. The California Community Colleges;
       2. The University of California; or
       3. The California State University; and
7. The Senate Committee of Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint one member to the council from two different stakeholder organizations. (WIC Section 8255)
8. Establishes the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) within the CalHHS to oversee the coordination and delivery of services and supports for Californians with developmental disabilities. Also establishes the State Council on Developmental Disabilities pursuant to the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to engage in advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities so that individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities have access to all available services and supports to promote self-determination for these individuals and their families. (WIC Section 4520)
9. Requires Cal-ICH to have a public meeting at least once every quarter and authorizes Cal-ICH to invite stakeholders, members of the philanthropic community, experts, and individuals who have experienced homelessness. (WIC Section 8255)
10. Requires Cal-ICH to seek guidance from and meet, at least twice a year, with an advisory committee that include the following:
    1. A survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness;
    2. Representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program;
    3. Stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states;
    4. Representatives of committees of African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence;
    5. A current or formerly homeless person who lives in California; and
11. A current of formerly homeless youth who lives in California. (WIC Section 8255)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.

COMMENTS:

Author’s Statement: According to the author, “California has almost 30% (181,399 people) of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Currently, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is not required to include a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. SB 1443 adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

Cal-ICH: In 2016, SB 1380 (Mitchell), Chapter 847, created the Homelessness Coordinating and Financing Council, which in 2021 was renamed the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) (AB 1220 (L. Rivas), Chapter 398) to coordinate the state's response to homelessness. SB 1380 required all state housing and homelessness programs to comply with Housing First principles. Cal-ICH was responsible for ensuring that all state housing and homelessness programs follow Housing First principles by July 1, 2019. In addition, SB 1380 (Mitchell) set out a list of “goals” for Cal-ICH to focus on but no clear authority to make changes to state policy or programs that address homelessness

The governance structure of Cal-ICH has also evolved since its creation. In addition to changing the name of council, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) appointed the Secretary of the California HHS Agency as co-chair of Cal-ICH with the Secretary of the BCSH Agency. In addition, AB 1220 (L. Rivas) removed people with lived experience of homelessness from the council membership and placed them on an advisory board, and required staff of agencies and departments of the Cal-ICH to participate in council work groups or task forces at the request of the council.

SB 1421 (Jones, Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022) added a current or formerly homeless person with a developmental disability to the advisory committee of Cal-ICH. This bill would add a representative from the SCDD to the members of the Cal-ICH.

CA-ICH developed two major work products in the past few years: an Action Plan and a state HDIS.

SCDD: SCDD is responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of services and supports to more than 360,000 Californians with developmental disabilities. According to the SCDD’s website, SCDD “works to ensure Californians with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to make choices and lead independent, productive lives as members of their communities in the least restrictive setting possible.”

Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness in California (Action Plan): In March 2021, Cal-ICH adopted an Action Plan with specified goals that member agencies approved and agreed to work on collaboratively. The Action Plan required the creation of five work groups to address to address the following priorities:

1. Maximizing the Impact of State Funding and Programs Addressing Homelessness;
2. Racial Equity in Responses to Homelessness and Housing Instability;
3. Tailoring Strategies for Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Youth and Young Adults;
4. Strengthening Employment Opportunities and Outcomes for People with Experiences of Homelessness; and
5. Preventing Homelessness Among People Transitioning Back into Communities from Corrections Settings.

State Homelessness Data Integration System (HDIS): Cal-ICH also launched a state HDIS system that captures the information collected and tracked in local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) databases. CoCs manage HMIS, local information technology systems used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families and persons at risk of homelessness. Each CoC is responsible for selecting an HMIS software solution that complies with HUD's data collection, management, and reporting standards.

All 44 CoCs in the state have entered into contracts to provide their HMIS data to Cal-ICH. HDIS is intended to give the state a more accurate picture of the local homelessness response system and inform the state’s response to homelessness. Using data from HDIS, the state recently developed a Statewide Landscape Assessment. AB 140 (Committee on Budget), Chapter 111, Statutes of 2021, required BCSH to conduct or contract with an entity to develop this landscape assessment. The purpose of the landscape assessment was to evaluate the existing funding allocated within the various state departments to prevent and end homelessness and link the funds to the actual services and resources state agencies utilize them to provide. The assessment, the first of its kind done in California, allows for more accurate data collection for targeting future investments more effectively.

The next step for HDIS is to use the data to determine if people experiencing homelessness are receiving the state and federal benefits they are eligible for and that could help increase their income to reduce their housing insecurity. AB 977 (Gabriel), Chapter 397, Statutes of 2021, required all state agencies and departments administering programs that serve people who may be experiencing homelessness to enter their data into HDIS so that locals can determine if people in the local HMIS are eligible for, or enrolled in, all of the safety net programs for which they may be eligible. Although this requirement is in statute, there are no outcome requirements for the Legislature to determine if this coordination is occurring and its effectiveness in resolving individual homelessness, nor did the landscape assessment contain any specific outcome evaluations.

Arguments in Support: According to SCDD, “30% to 40% of the homeless population have a cognitive impairment, including traumatic brain injury, learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to Psychology Today. The Homelessness and Housing Needs Report from the California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (February 2024) found that 675 persons with I/DD receiving assistance in regional centers were identified as homeless (there are data limitations to get an accurate count and number could be much higher.) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) amounts are sole sources of income for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and limit where they can live. These amounts fall below the federal poverty level. Approximately 24,000 (number can be higher) are severely rent burdened meaning persons with I/DD pay more than 50% of their income toward rent but most are unable to secure a place at all with the SSI monies they receive. This puts the I/DD population at greater risk of housing instability or homelessness.”

Arguments in Opposition: None on file.

Related Legislation:

SB 842 (Jones) of 2023 would have added the Director of Developmental Services to Cal-ICH. This bill was later amended to address a different subject with a new author.

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh) of 2023 would have added a representative from the SCDD to Cal-ICH. This bill was held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 1134 (Melendez) of 2022 would have added a representative from the SCDD to Cal-ICH. This bill was later amended to address a different subject.

SB 1421 (Jones, Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022): Added a current or formerly homeless person with a developmental disability to the advisory committee of Cal-ICH. Double-referred: This bill was also referred to the Assembly Committee on Human Services where it will be heard should it pass out of this committee.

Double-referred: This bill was also referred to the Assembly Committee on Human Services where it will be heard should it pass out of this committee

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Community Living Network

California Disability Services Association

California State Council on Developmental Disabilities

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Lisa Engel / H. & C.D. / (916) 319-2085

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: SB 1443

Author: Jones (R)

Introduced: 2/16/24

Vote: 21

SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE: 5-0, 4/1/24

AYES: Alvarado-Gil, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Menjivar, Wahab

SENATE HOUSING COMMITTEE: 10-0, 4/16/24

AYES: Skinner, Ochoa Bogh, Blakespear, Caballero, Cortese, Menjivar, Padilla, Seyarto, Umberg, Wahab

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 5/16/24

AYES: Caballero, Jones, Ashby, Becker, Bradford, Niello, Wahab

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill makes changes to the membership of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Establishes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate a federal response to homelessness and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to end homelessness. (42 United States Code (USC) 11311)
2. Defines, in federal statute, the word “homeless” for the purpose of housing assistance, to mean an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as:
   1. A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
   2. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals); or
   3. Exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution. (42 Code of Federal Regulations 91.5)
3. Defines, in federal statute, the term “homeless individual with a disability” to mean an individual who is homeless and has a disability, as specified, that is:
   1. Expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration; substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and, is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post- traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury;
   2. A developmental disability, as defined; or
   3. The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. (42 USC 11360(10))
4. Defines a “developmental disability” to mean a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age which continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual, including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism and related conditions, but excluding other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature. (WIC 4512(a))
5. Establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), to include the following departments and offices: Aging; Community Services and Development; Developmental Services; Health Care Services; Child Support Services; Managed Health Care; Public Health; Rehabilitation; Social Services; and State Hospitals; Center for Data Insights and Innovation; the Emergency Medical Services Authority; the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Office of Systems Integration; the Office of Law Enforcement Support; the Office of the Surgeon General; the Office of Youth and Community Restoration; and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. (GOV 12803)
6. Establishes the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH), to include the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Business Oversight, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, the California Horse Racing Board, and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission. (GOV 12804)
7. Establishes the Cal ICH to oversee and coordinate the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations in California, and to identify resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. (WIC 8255 et. seq.)
8. Sets the goals for the Cal ICH including, but not limited to, identification of resources and services to prevent and end homelessness; creating partnerships among local, state, federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System, as provided. (WIC 8257(b))

This bill:

1. Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH.
2. Specifies that the representative may be the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

Background

Purpose of the Bill. According to the author, “California has almost 30 percent of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including the perspective of the Director of Developmental Services. Currently, neither the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) nor its associated advisory committee are required to include the Director of Developmental Services. SB 1443 adds the Director of Developmental Services to the Cal ICH advisory committee in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

California Homelessness Data. Since 2016, homelessness in America, and particularly in California, has been growing at an increasing rate. Homelessness has been correlated with a number of negative effects, including high rates of chronic disease and acute illness, a broad range of mental health and substance use issues, greater exposure to violence, malnutrition, extreme weather, and criminal charges. The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically homeless individuals and families face and the lack of effective, coordinated services to address these problems often lead to a cycle of housing instability and health deterioration. Persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and employment services. Additionally, the conditions of homelessness often make it more difficult to exit homelessness, by creating barriers to the resources necessary to obtain income through training, education, and employment.

Each January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has local community Continuums of Care (CoCs) conduct a Point in Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness. HUD defines homelessness as either “sheltered” or “unsheltered”. Sheltered homelessness is when a person is living in a temporary place, such as a temporary shelter and unsheltered homelessness is living out in the open or in places not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (i.e. the streets, vehicles, or parks). The PIT count is required by HUD as a condition of receiving federal funding. According to the 2023 PIT count, 181,399 people experienced homelessness in California, representing 28 percent of the nation’s homelessness population. Additionally, Californians accounted for 49 percent of all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the nation (123,423 people), nearly eight times the number of unsheltered people in the state with the next highest number, Florida (30,756).

Disabilities and Chronic Homelessness. Under federal law, people experiencing chronic homelessness is partially defined to include, “people with disabilities who also experience extended or repeated episodes of homelessness”. A 2017 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) study reviewed data from the 2017 PIT data count and found: (1) people with disabilities were disproportionately represented among all people experiencing homelessness, (2) estimates suggested that on any given day about 24 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness (86,962 of 369,081 individuals) were people with disabilities who met the federal definition of experiencing chronic homelessness, (3) estimates suggest that about 10-15 percent of all individuals who enter homelessness will experience chronic homelessness, and, that (4) most of these individuals were living in major cities (57 percent) or smaller cities or counties (33 percent) rather than in rural areas.

Additionally, the USICH determined that more than six percent of adults living in permanent supportive housing in 2016 had a developmental disability. Permanent supportive housing is an evidence-based housing intervention that combines on-going rental assistance with supportive services such as health and mental health care for chronically homeless households. Permanent supportive housing, implemented through a Housing First approach, has been shown to help people with disabilities permanently stay out of homelessness, improve their health conditions, and significantly reduce their use of costly crisis services.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) was established as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is made up of a thirty-one (31) member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor. Federal law requires the SCDD to identify methods to improve and increase services for individuals and their families and to submit a State Plan for approval to the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. SCDD is headquartered in Sacramento, but has regional offices throughout California that provide advocacy assistance, training, monitoring and public information, among other things, so that the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities’ and their families’ rights are respected and protected. The SCDD’s regional offices also participate in developing and implementing the goals and work of Council.

California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH). SB 1220 (Rivas, L., Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to Cal ICH, named the secretaries of BCSH and Cal-HHS as co-chairs of the council, and changed the membership composition from one that included a mix of state and local agencies, persons who previously experienced homelessness, and homeless advocacy groups to one composed of state departments’ and offices’ directorate, including the Departments of Rehabilitation, Aging, Social Services, and the state’s Medicaid Director.

The bill also created an advisory committee to provide guidance to, and meet at least twice a year with, the Cal ICH. The composition of the advisory committee must include the following: (1) a survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness; (2) representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoCs) Program; (3) stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states; (4) representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence; (5) a current or formerly homeless person who lives in California; and, (6) a current or formerly homeless youth who lives in California. The advisory committee must also designate one of its members to participate in the quarterly council meetings and provide a report to Cal ICH on their activities.

Cal ICH is tasked to continue the work it began as HCFC, which was created by SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016), such as coordinating the state’s response to homelessness, and creating partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, nonprofits, and federal agencies, among others. The Cal ICH has responsibility of administering and distributing funding associated with the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP), through which millions of dollars allocated through the state budget process are provided to local governments and CoCs to address immediate homelessness challenges. The Cal ICH also currently administers the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program. However, in June 2023, budget-related legislation transferred the administration of HHAPP, the Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program from Cal ICH to the Housing and Community Development Department beginning on July 1, 2024.

This bill would require Cal ICH to add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities as a member of the council and specifies the Executive Director may serve as that representative.

Related/Prior Legislation:

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023) would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH. The bill was held by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1413 (Ting, 2023) would have transferred administrative duties to administer HHAPP, the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program to HCD. The bill was held in Senate Appropriation Committee; however, the bill’s language was included in the 2023 Budget Act.

SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022), as introduced, was identical to SB 246. The bill was amended out of this Committee’s jurisdiction in the Assembly and later held by the Assembly Health Committee.

SB 1220 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed HCFC to the Cal ICH, named the Secretary of CalHHS as co-chair, reconstituted the Cal ICH membership, required the ICH to meet at least twice yearly with an advisory committee, among other things, and as provided.

AB 1845 (Luz Rivas, 2020) would have created the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness under the Direction of the Secretary of Homelessness and would have moved the HCFC from the BCSH Agency into the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness. The bill was vetoed by the Governor.

SB 918 (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018) required Cal ICH to set and measure progress towards goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California, as provided.

SB 850 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 48, Statues of 2018) provided funding for homelessness initiatives, permitted the Governor to appoint up to 17 members to HCFC, including the Secretary BCSH or designee, to serve as chair, a representative from the Department of Transportation and a formerly homeless youth to serve on the Council, as provided.

SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016) created the HCFC to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness, as provided.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for staffing resources to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies. The SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

SUPPORT:

Association of Regional Center Agencies
Aveanna Healthcare
California Community Living Network
California Disability Services Association
Scdd

OPPOSITION:

None received

Prepared by: Heather Hopkins / HUMAN S. / (916) 651-1524

5/17/24 18:49:06

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

SB 1443 (Jones) - California Interagency Council on Homelessness

Bill Summary:

SB 1443 would make changes to the membership of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) to the council.

Fiscal Impact:

• The Cal ICH estimates General Fund costs of $167,000 in the first year and $159,000 annually thereafter for staffing resources to provide ongoing support to council members, departments, and agencies.
• The SCDD indicates costs are minor and absorbable.

Background:

Current law establishes the Cal ICH. The goals for the Cal ICH include, but are not limited to, identification of benefits, resources and services to prevent and end homelessness; creating partnerships among local, state, federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System. The Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency and the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency serve as co-chairs of the council. Existing law requires the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to provide staff for the council.

The SCDD was established as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is made up of a thirty-one member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor.

Proposed Law:

SB 1443 would add a representative from the SCDD to the Cal ICH membership and specify that the representative may be the executive director of the state council.

Related Legislation:

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023) was similar to this bill. The bill was held on the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Senator Nancy Skinner, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: SB 1443 Hearing Date: 4/16/2024

SUBJECT: California Interagency Council on Homelessness

DIGEST: This bill adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the members of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH).

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Defines “Housing First” as the evidence-based model that uses housing as a tool, rather than a reward, for recovery and that centers on providing or connecting homeless people to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Housing First providers offer services as needed and requested on a voluntary basis and that do not make housing contingent on participation in services.
2. Establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal-ICH) to coordinate the State’s response to homelessness using Housing First practices with a number of goals including, but not limited to:
3. Creating partnerships among state agencies and departments;
4. Promoting systems integration to increase efficiency and effectiveness;
5. Coordinating existing funding and application for competitive funding.
6. Establishes the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency and the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) as co-chairs of Cal-ICH, which consists of 20 other members:
   1. The Director of Transportation
   2. The Director of Housing and Community Development
   3. The Director of Social Services
   4. The Director of the California Finance Agency
   5. The Director or the State Medicaid Director of Health Care Services
   6. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
   7. The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
   8. The Executive Director of the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee in the State Treasurer’s Office
   9. The State Public Health Officer
   10. The Director of the California Department of Aging
   11. The Director of Rehabilitation
   12. The Director of State Hospitals
   13. The Executive Director of the California Workforce Development Board
   14. The Director of the Office of Emergency Services
   15. A representative from the State Department of Education
   16. A representative of the state public higher education system from one of the following:
       1. The California Community Colleges
       2. The University of California
       3. The California State University.
   17. The Senate Committee of Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint one member to the council from two different stakeholder organizations.
7. Establishes the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) within the CalHHS to oversee the coordination and delivery of services and supports for Californians with developmental disabilities. Also establishes the State Council on Developmental Disabilities pursuant to the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to engage in advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities so that individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities have access to all available services and supports to promote self-determination for these individuals and their families.
8. Requires Cal-ICH to have a public meeting at least once every quarter and authorizes Cal-ICH to invite stakeholders, members of the philanthropic community, experts, and individuals who have experienced homelessness.
9. Requires Cal-ICH to seek guidance from and meet, at least twice a year, with an advisory committee that include the following:
   1. A survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness
   2. Representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program
   3. Stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states
   4. Representatives of committees of African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence
   5. A current or formerly homeless person who lives in California
   6. A current of formerly homeless youth who lives in California.

This bill:

1. Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. The representative may be the executive director of the state council.

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement. “California has almost 30% (181,399 people) of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022. In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Currently, the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) is not required to include a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. SB 1443 adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

1. Cal-ICH. Cal-ICH, formerly known as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC), was created to oversee the implementation of “Housing First” policies, guidelines, and regulations to reduce the prevalence and duration of homelessness in California. Housing First is an evidence-based model that focuses on the idea that homeless individuals should be provided shelter and stability before underlying issues can be successfully addressed. Housing First utilizes a tenant screening process that promotes accepting applicants regardless of their sobriety, use of substances or participation in services. As the state’s homelessness crisis has worsened, the role of Cal-ICH has significantly increased, as it has been charged with administering two significant programs dedicated to addressing homelessness, the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) and the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP).

According to their website, DDS “works to ensure Californians with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to make choices and lead independent, productive lives as members of their communities in the least restrictive setting possible.” DDS is responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of services and supports to more than 360,000 Californians with developmental disabilities.

1. Homelessness Numbers. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, chronically homeless people are people with disabilities who also experience extended or repeated episodes of homelessness. The 2020 point in time (PIT) count found that 48,812, or 40%, of individuals with chronic patterns of homelessness were in California; 84% of chronically homeless people in California were unsheltered. Nationally, 110,528 (over a quarter of all homeless individuals) were chronically homeless.^[1] Notably, chronically homeless people are a subpopulation that Cal-ICH is required to quantify, and localities must address this subpopulation in local landscape analyses in order to receive HHAPP funding.

A review article published by UC San Diego in 2015 titled A Quantitative Review of Cognitive Functioning in Homeless Adults suggest the frequency of cognitive impairment is 25% among homeless individuals. This includes neurodevelopmental problems and acquired brain dysfunction. It is also unclear from the data collected if impairments caused homelessness or if homelessness caused impairment, and it is likely that aspects of homelessness impair brain function.^[2] Thus, solving the homelessness crisis is intertwined with mental health supports.

1. Department of Developmental Services. DDS is one of the 12 departments under CalHHS. Under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, DDS is responsible for overseeing the coordination and delivery of services and supports to more than 360,000 Californians with developmental disabilities including cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, autism, epilepsy and related conditions. The state’s service system is designed to meet the needs and choices of individuals at each stage of their lives, and, to the extent possible, serve them in their home communities, providing choices that are reflective of lifestyle, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities advises DDS and more broadly advocates, conducts outreach, provides training and technical assistance, develops coalitions, and informs policymaking about disability issues.
2. Represented already? As a co-chair of Cal-ICH, the Cal-HHS Secretary already serves as a representative of DDS on Cal-ICH. Overall, four of the 11 state government members of State Council on Developmental Disability already serve on Cal-ICH, specifically the directors of the departments of Health and Human Services, Aging, and Rehabilitation as well as the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency. Additionally, since it is infeasible to represent every population experiencing homelessness on Cal-ICH, existing law authorizes Cal-ICH to invite stakeholders, members of the philanthropic community, experts, and individuals who have experienced homelessness to participate in public meetings. Additionally, adding another member to the council would bring the number to 21, arguably making things more difficult for the council accomplish its stated goals.
3. Seeing double. This bill is substantially similar a number of previously introduced bills, including: SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022), which was later amended by the author into a different subject in the Assembly, SB 1421 (Jones, 2023), which was chaptered, and SB 246 (Ochoa-Bogh, 2023), which was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
4. Double Referral. This bill was passed out of the Senate Human Services Committee on April 1, 2024 with a vote of 5-0.

Related Legislation:

SB 842 (Jones, 2023) — would have added the Director of Developmental Services to Cal-ICH. This bill was later amended to address a different subject with a new author.

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023) — would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to Cal-ICH. This bill was held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022) — would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to Cal-ICH. This bill was later amended to address a different subject.

SB 1421 (Jones, Chapter 671, Statutes of 2022) — added a current or formerly homeless person with a developmental disability to the advisory committee of Cal-ICH.

AB 1220 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) — renamed the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness. It added five members to Cal-ICH: the State Public Health Officer, The Director of the California Department of Again, The Director of Rehabilitation, The Director of State Hospitals, and the executive director of the California Workforce Development Board. It also created the advisory committee that Cal-ICH must seek guidance from.

SB 1458 (Rubio, 2020) — would have added a representative of the State Department of Public Health to Cal-ICH. This bill died in the Senate Rules Committee.

AB 58 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 334, Statutes of 2019) — added a representative from the State Department of Education to Cal-ICH.

SB 687 (Rubio, Chapter 345, Statutes of 2019) — added a representative of the state public higher education system to Cal-ICH.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.)

SUPPORT:

Association of Regional Center Agencies

California Community Living Network

California Disability Services Association

California State Council on Developmental Disabilities

OPPOSITION:

None received.

-- END --

1. Henry et al. “The 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress.” (US Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2021). https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2020-AHAR-Part-1.pdf ↑

2. Depp, C. A., Vella, L., Orff, H. J., & Twamley, E. W. (2015). “A quantitative review of cognitive functioning in homeless adults.” The Journal of nervous and mental disease, 203(2), 126–131. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000248 ↑

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Alvarado-Gil, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Subject: California Interagency Council on Homelessness.

SUMMARY

This bill makes changes to the membership of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness Council (Cal ICH) by adding a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

ABSTRACT

Existing Law:

1. Establishes the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to coordinate a federal response to homelessness and create a national partnership at every level of government and with the private sector to end homelessness. (42 United States Code (USC) 11311)
2. Defines, in federal statute, the word “homeless” for the purpose of housing assistance, to mean an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, such as:
   1. A primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;
   2. A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals); or
   3. Exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution. (42 Code of Federal Regulations 91.5)
3. Defines, in federal statute, the term “homeless individual with a disability” to mean an individual who is homeless and has a disability, as specified, that is:
   1. Expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration; substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently; could be improved by the provision of more suitable housing conditions; and, is a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, post- traumatic stress disorder, or brain injury;
   2. A developmental disability, as defined; or
   3. The disease of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any condition arising from the etiologic agency for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

(42 USC 11360(10))

1. Defines a “developmental disability” to mean a disability that originates before an individual attains 18 years of age which continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely and constitutes a substantial disability for that individual, including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism and related conditions, but excluding other handicapping conditions that are solely physical in nature. (WIC 4512(a))
2. Establishes the California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS), to include the following departments and offices: Aging; Community Services and Development; Developmental Services; Health Care Services; Child Support Services; Managed Health Care; Public Health; Rehabilitation; Social Services; and State Hospitals; Center for Data Insights and Innovation; the Emergency Medical Services Authority; the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, the Office of Systems Integration; the Office of Law Enforcement Support; the Office of the Surgeon General; the Office of Youth and Community Restoration; and the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. (GOV 12803)
3. Establishes the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH), to include the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Department of Real Estate, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Department of Business Oversight, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, the California Horse Racing Board, and the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission. (GOV 12804)
4. Establishes the Cal ICH to oversee and coordinate the implementation of Housing First guidelines and regulations in California, and to identify resources and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. (WIC 8255 et. seq.)
5. Sets the goals for the Cal ICH including, but not limited to, identification of resources and services to prevent and end homelessness; creating partnerships among local, state, federal entities to arrive at strategies to end homelessness; coordinating existing homelessness funding; making policy and procedural recommendations to the Legislature; and, creating a Homeless Data Integration System, as provided. (WIC 8257(b))

This Bill:

1. Adds a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH.
2. Specifies that the representative may be the Executive Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

FISCAL IMPACT

This bill has not yet been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the Bill:

According to the author, “California has almost 30 percent of all individuals experiencing homelessness across the nation. Californians are becoming increasingly concerned with the state’s growing homeless population. In fact, Californians named homelessness as the second most important issue, right behind COVID-19, for the Governor and Legislature to work on in 2022.”

The author further states, “In order to effectively address the many challenges associated with assisting persons experiencing homelessness, a wide variety of perspectives must be sought, including the perspective of the Director of Developmental Services. Currently, neither the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) nor its associated advisory committee are required to include the Director of Developmental Services. SB 1443 adds the Director of Developmental Services to the Cal ICH advisory committee in order to provide Cal ICH with readily available access to this much-needed perspective.”

California Homelessness Data

Since 2016, homelessness in America, and particularly in California, has been growing at an increasing rate. Homelessness has been correlated with a number of negative effects, including high rates of chronic disease and acute illness, a broad range of mental health and substance use issues, greater exposure to violence, malnutrition, extreme weather, and criminal charges. The health, personal, and economic challenges that chronically homeless individuals and families face and the lack of effective, coordinated services to address these problems often lead to a cycle of housing instability and health deterioration. Persistent homelessness impedes access to needed health and employment services. Additionally, the conditions of homelessness often make it more difficult to exit homelessness, by creating barriers to the resources necessary to obtain income through training, education, and employment.

Each January, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has local community Continuums of Care (CoCs) conduct a Point in Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness. HUD defines homelessness as either “sheltered” or “unsheltered”. Sheltered homelessness is when a person is living in a temporary place, such as a temporary shelter and unsheltered homelessness is living out in the open or in places not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for people (i.e. the streets, vehicles, or parks). The PIT count is required by HUD as a condition of receiving federal funding. According to the 2023 PIT count, 181,399 people experienced homelessness in California, representing 28 percent of the nation’s homelessness population. Additionally, Californians accounted for 49 percent of all people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the nation (123,423 people), nearly eight times the number of unsheltered people in the state with the next highest number, Florida (30,756).

Disabilities and Chronic Homelessness

Under federal law, people experiencing chronic homelessness is partially defined to include, “people with disabilities who also experience extended or repeated episodes of homelessness”. A 2017 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) study reviewed data from the 2017 PIT data count and found: (1) people with disabilities were disproportionately represented among all people experiencing homelessness, (2) estimates suggested that on any given day about 24 percent of individuals experiencing homelessness (86,962 of 369,081 individuals) were people with disabilities who met the federal definition of experiencing chronic homelessness, (3) estimates suggest that about 10-15 percent of all individuals who enter homelessness will experience chronic homelessness, and, that (4) most of these individuals were living in major cities (57 percent) or smaller cities or counties (33 percent) rather than in rural areas.

Additionally, the USICH determined that more than six percent of adults living in permanent supportive housing (PSH) in 2016 had a developmental disability. PSH is an evidence-based housing intervention that combines on-going rental assistance with supportive services such as health and mental health care for chronically homeless households. PSH, implemented through a Housing First approach, has been shown to help people with disabilities permanently stay out of homelessness, improve their health conditions, and significantly reduce their use of costly crisis services.

State Council on Developmental Disabilities

The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) was established as an independent state agency to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families receive the services and supports they need. As authorized by state and federal law, SCDD is made up of a thirty-one (31) member council of individuals with disabilities, their families, federally funded partners and state agencies, appointed by the Governor. Federal law requires the SCDD to identify methods to improve and increase services for individuals and their families and to submit a State Plan for approval to the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. SCDD is headquartered in Sacramento, but has regional offices throughout California that provide advocacy assistance, training, monitoring and public information, among other things, so that the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities’ and their families’ rights are respected and protected. The SCDD’s regional offices also participate in developing and implementing the goals and work of Council.

California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH)

SB 1220 (Rivas, L., Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to Cal ICH, named the secretaries of BCSH and Cal-HHS as co-chairs of the council, and changed the membership composition from one that included a mix of state and local agencies, persons who previously experienced homelessness, and homeless advocacy groups to one composed of state departments’ and offices’ directorate, including the Departments of Rehabilitation, Aging, Social Services, and the state’s Medicaid Director.

SB 1220 also created an advisory committee to provide guidance to, and meet at least twice a year with, the Cal ICH. The composition of the advisory committee must include the following: (1) a survivor of gender-based violence who formerly experienced homelessness; (2) representatives of local agencies or organizations that participate in HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoCs) Program; (3) stakeholders with expertise in solutions to homelessness and best practices from other states; (4) representatives of committees on African Americans, youth, and survivors of gender-based violence; (5) a current or formerly homeless person who lives in California; and, (6) a current or formerly homeless youth who lives in California. The advisory committee must also designate one of its members to participate in the quarterly council meetings and provide a report to Cal ICH on their activities.

Cal ICH is tasked to continue the work it began as HCFC, which was created by SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016), such as coordinating the state’s response to homelessness, and creating partnerships among state agencies and departments, local government agencies, nonprofits, and federal agencies, among others. The Cal ICH has responsibility of administering and distributing funding associated with the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention Program (HHAPP), through which millions of dollars allocated through the state budget process are provided to local governments and CoCs to address immediate homelessness challenges. The Cal ICH also currently administers the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program. However, in June 2023, budget-related legislation transferred the administration of HHAPP, the Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program from Cal ICH to the Housing and Community Development Department beginning on July 1, 2024.

This bill would require Cal ICH to add a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities as a member of the council and specifies the Executive Director may serve as that representative.

Related/Prior Legislation:

SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023), akin to SB 1443, would have added a representative from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to the Cal ICH. This bill was held by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

SB 842 (Jones, 2023) as heard by this committee, would have added the director of the Department of Developmental Services to the Cal ICH and included an urgency clause. SB 842 was amended in the Assembly out of this Committee’s jurisdiction and later vetoed by the Governor.

AB 1413 (Ting, 2023) would have transferred administrative duties to administer HHAPP, the Family Homelessness Challenge Grants and Technical Assistance Program, and the Encampment Resolution Funding Program to HCD. This bill was held in Senate Appropriation Committee; however, the bill’s language was included in the 2023 Budget Act.

SB 1134 (Melendez, 2022), as introduced, was identical to SB 246 (Ochoa Bogh, 2023). This bill was amended out of this Committee’s jurisdiction in the Assembly and later held by the Assembly Health Committee.

SB 1220 (Luz Rivas, Chapter 398, Statutes of 2021) renamed HCFC to the Cal ICH, named the Secretary of Cal HHS as co-chair, reconstituted the Cal ICH membership, required the ICH to meet at least twice yearly with an advisory committee, among other things, and as provided.

AB 1845 (Luz Rivas, 2020) would have created the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness under the Direction of the Secretary of Homelessness and would have moved the HCFC from the BCSH Agency into the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness. This bill was vetoed by the Governor.

SB 918 (Wiener, Chapter 841, Statutes of 2018) required Cal ICH to set and measure progress towards goals to prevent and end homelessness among youth in California, as provided.

SB 850 (Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, Chapter 48, Statues of 2018) provided funding for homelessness initiatives, permitted the Governor to appoint up to 17 members to HCFC, including the Secretary BCSH or designee, to serve as chair, a representative from the Department of Transportation and a formerly homeless youth to serve on the Council, as provided.

SB 1380 (Mitchell, Chapter 847, Statutes of 2016) created the HCFC to coordinate the state’s response to homelessness, as provided.

COMMENTS

Since the Cal ICH’s inception, changes have been made to the Council to better serve and address the needs of people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These changes include the addition of the CHHS Secretary as council co-chair and the creation of a Cal ICH Advisory Committee, which includes members who have experienced homelessness. This bill is identical to previously introduced legislation by this author, which seeks to increase the number of person’s serving on the Cal ICH or its Advisory Committee with either lived experience in, or working knowledge of, the Intellectual and Developmental Disability community.

POSITIONS

Support:

Association of Regional Center Agencies

Aveanna Healthcare

Oppose:

None

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