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Tulare County organizers prepare HAP-6 encampment plan; stakeholders to map hot spots at case management roundtable
Summary
Task force members reviewed HAP-6 encampment requirements from HCD and Cal ICH, outlined a plan to map known encampments and convene cities, law enforcement and outreach teams at a county-wide case management roundtable to coordinate advance notice and response protocols.
Leticia (Kings County/Alliance representative) and Noah (county) briefed the Tulare County Task Force on Homelessness on state HAP-6 requirements that ask regions to document encampment policies and coordination with cities and law enforcement.
Noah told members that the encampment documentation is a new requirement for the HAP-6 funding round and that some communities have pushed back because the state is asking for elements similar to earlier Encampment Resolution Fund requirements without attaching additional funding. "This is a newer requirement under the hap 6 funding stream," Noah said, noting HCD clarifications that the applicant set for HAP-6 can focus on eligible applicants (the counties and the continuum of care) rather than every individual city housing element.
Task force staff described three practical tools they will use in the application and stakeholder work: a Google map of known hot spots, a countywide outreach calendar that lists outreach teams and schedules, and a housing inventory showing scarce voucher and permanent supportive housing availability. Presenters emphasized the county's limits: outreach teams may be able to make contact quickly, but housing resources — section 8, permanent supportive housing and other subsidies — are largely fully utilized. The presenters said the region has housed over 200 people in the last two years but currently has limited new permanent subsidy capacity.
The task force scheduled a stakeholder meeting for the third Thursday of the month at the Visalia Rescue Mission to show the map of hot spots, invite law enforcement and city representatives, and discuss how to provide as much advance notice as possible for encampment resolution actions. Presenters said Cal ICH guidance asks for as much notice as feasible (Cal ICH suggests 48 hours) and for policies — for example, storage and handling of personal items when encampments are cleared — to be documented. The presenters said the state allows applicants to submit either a spreadsheet or a map; the task force chose a map to make coordination easier for field teams.
Members raised concerns about feasibility and timing. Mary Alice and others noted that the county still has outstanding standard agreements and funds for HAP-5 and warned that HAP-6 funding, if awarded, may not deliver immediate dollars. County staff said Tulare County's housing element is adopted and that the county holds a "pro housing" designation, which meets the state requirement; staff will confirm Kings County's status for the joint application.
Why it matters: HAP-6 contains new encampment documentation and coordination requirements that, if included in a successful application, could shape how cities, counties and law enforcement respond to encampments. Because housing subsidies are constrained, task force members said plans must be realistic about outcomes following outreach or removal actions.
Next steps: The task force will hold the stakeholder roundtable (case managers, law enforcement, city staff) to populate the map and outreach calendar, collect existing encampment-related policies, and include the compiled materials in the HAP-6 application. Staff will also follow up to confirm housing element statuses and to request any housing-law-violation information from HCD if available.
