Board approves Office of Supportive Housing budget; administration says families can continue to enroll

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the county executive's revised Fiscal Year 2025'6 recommended budget for the Office of Supportive Housing and received clarifying answers about family housing and enrollment.

Supervisor Ellenberg, who pulled item 60 for questions, said family housing is a priority and asked whether new families could enroll in the CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) after the program returned to its base budget. KJ Kaminski, acting director for the Office of Supportive Housing, replied, "New families will be able to enroll," and said the base budget allows the program to serve approximately 160 families annually; as families exit the program, new families will be enrolled.

Kaminski also told supervisors that the recommended budget includes a $25,000,000 general-fund backfill intended to sustain current supportive housing programs, including family supportive-housing units coming on line next year. The board asked staff to present next week's community plan to end homelessness update in a way that focuses on total dollars and numbers served rather than only by funding stream, to avoid confusion among program recipients.

Supervisor Ellenberg moved to receive the report and to direct staff to present the community plan update at the board's next meeting; the motion passed unanimously (Aye: Supervisor Abakova; Supervisor Yoon; Supervisor Ellenberg; Vice President Arenas; President Lee). Staff said they will provide the requested presentation framing amounts, client counts and anticipated changes so the board and the public can understand who will be affected.

Board members thanked frontline staff and department leaders and emphasized the desire to maintain services despite budget pressures elsewhere in the county. The board recessed to continue budget hearings on Thursday, June 12 at 1:30 p.m.