Board approves 2025 HUD and state-funded allocations aimed at homelessness services, recovery care

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors approved the county's 2025'2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 action plan on April 8, authorizing staff to submit the plans to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and to adjust allocations when final award figures are released.

The measures set allocation estimates for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and the state's Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA). Board members approved funding recommendations for homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, supportive services, a proposed recuperative-care project and several public-facility accessibility projects. The board voted unanimously to adopt the staff package.

County staff said HUD's 2025 NOFA estimates were prepared by averaging the prior three years of awards and reducing that average by 5 percent; staff warned the board the estimates could change when HUD issues final allocations and asked authority to adjust project allocations proportionally. The county also included about $40,000 in program income and asked permission to allocate any further program income that becomes available.

The action plan directs federal and state funds to projects that county staff said align with the countywide plan to address homelessness, specifically two of that plan's lines of effort: creating affordable or shelter options and removing barriers to housing stability via prevention and supportive services. Recommended projects include: a countywide homeless prevention and rapid-rehousing program run by 5 Cities Homeless Coalition; continued shelter, outreach and navigation services by ECHO (El Camino Homeless Organization); CAPSLO's emergency shelter, clinic and recuperative care; Lumina Alliance's services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence; People's Self Help Housing supportive services for affordable units; and monthly "no-cook" food bags distributed by the Food Bank Coalition to people without access to kitchens.

Staff also proposed a 15-unit recuperative-care facility by 5 Cities Homeless Coalition composed of non-congregate cabins (each with en-suite bathrooms) to provide short-term medical recovery space for medically fragile people experiencing homelessness. The staff report said the county has very limited current recuperative-care capacity and noted existing coordination with local hospitals and CAPSLO.

During public comment, service providers urged the board to approve the recommended allocations and warned of recent cuts to separate federal programs that help low-income households, including the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and LIHEAP utility assistance, saying local nonprofit budgets are being squeezed. Speakers included Jana Nichols of 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, Jennifer Adams of Lumina Alliance, Wendy Lewis of ECHO, Molly Kern of the Food Bank Coalition and Lauren Ramos of 5 Cities Homeless Coalition.

Supervisor Gibson moved to approve the staff-recommended consolidated plan and the action-plan allocations and to authorize the administrative adjustments staff requested; Supervisor Paulding seconded. The motion passed on a roll-call vote: Supervisor Gibson, yes; Supervisor Paulding, yes; Supervisor Pashong, yes; Supervisor Moreno, yes; Chairperson Ortiz Legg, yes.

The approved consolidated plan and action plan will be submitted to HUD; HUD typically acts within 45 days of a correct submission, after which HUD's actual grant agreements are executed and the county may finalize subrecipient notices and grant agreements. Staff told the board they will return any reallocation adjustments to the board if actual awards differ materially from the current estimates.