Council approves 2025-26 human services grants; shifts $5,000 from SLO CASA to People's Self Help project

The San Luis Obispo City Council approved the Human Relations Commission's funding recommendations for the 2025-26 human services grant round but directed a small reallocation between two applicants, voting 4-0 to move $5,000 from the SLO CASA allocation to the People's Self Help project.

Council Member Francis moved to approve the recommendations with the $5,000 reallocation; Council Member Marx seconded. The city clerk called the roll (Francis: yes; Marks: yes; Boswell: yes; Vice Mayor Michelle Shoresman: yes) and the motion passed 4-0.

Public comment: four speakers representing local service providers addressed council before the vote. Nathan Rubenoff, data and systems manager for the Homeless Services Division at CAPSLO, thanked the city for a $20,000 allocation to CAPSLO's homelessness prevention program and described the prevention program's recent results: "In 2024, our prevention program and stabilization was able to help 49 individuals from becoming homeless. In 2025, so far, we've been able to assist about 20 individuals from becoming homeless," he said, and described the flexibility city funds provide when state or federal dollars carry restrictive eligibility.

Marina Bernheimer, executive director of SLO CASA, said CASA supports children removed from homes due to abuse or neglect and urged funding because data shows youth aging out of foster care face a higher risk of homelessness; she outlined CASA's need for confidential office space to meet volunteers with youth and noted recent cuts at other funding levels. Donna Harp Price spoke in support of fully funding CASA and recounted personal experience working with children who benefited from CASA volunteers. Jason Maine, who runs the Middle House sober-living nonprofit, described the recovery program's local role and said Middle House did not receive funding in this cycle; he asked the council to consider the program for future rounds.

Council deliberations and rationale: council members thanked the Human Relations Commission for a difficult review process. Several council members said the city had refined the grant program purpose in prior cycles to prioritize homelessness prevention from this particular $150,000 pot of funding; council discussion therefore weighed prevention-focused programs more heavily. Members discussed the merits of CASA's services for children aging out of foster care and the direct impact of prevention programs working with persons on the verge of homelessness. Council Member Francis proposed the compromise reallocation: reduce CASA's award by $5,000 and increase the People's Self Help project funding by $5,000 (from $10,000 to $15,000) to retain prevention focus while still supporting CASA at a reduced level.

Outcome and amounts stated in deliberations: council's action reduced SLO CASAfrom the recommended $15,000 to $10,000 and increased the People's Self Help project from $10,000 to $15,000; CAPSLO's homelessness-prevention award of $20,000 was affirmed. Staff said the detailed award table and full list of applicants are in the agenda packet.

Ending: Council members noted the constrained funding environment, the number of worthy applicants and the continuing policy choice to focus this grant pot on prevention. They asked staff to continue tracking outcomes and to return to council with future funding recommendations and potential options for increasing the size of this grant pool.