Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Calworks Housing Support topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee forwards roughly $4.9–5.0 million supplemental for CalWORKs housing support program
Summary
The committee voted 3-0 to forward an ordinance appropriating approximately $4.9–$5.0 million of state and federal funds to the Human Services Agency for rental assistance, nonprofit grants, and a work order to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing.
The Budget and Finance Committee on March 12 voted to forward to the full Board an ordinance appropriating state and federal funds to augment the Human Services Agency’s CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP).
Celia Pedroza, budget director for the Human Services Agency (HSA), asked the committee to approve a supplemental appropriation after the State Department of Social Services redistributed prior-year allocations that had been at risk of expiring on June 30, 2025. HSA requested the supplemental because the notice arrived too late to be included in the current budget.
HSA described the supplemental as entirely state and federally funded and said it will invest resources in three primary areas: direct eviction prevention/back rent supports administered by HSA, placement subsidies and case management administered by community-based organizations (CBOs), and a work order to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) to offset sheltering costs for CalWORKs families.
The Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) stated the ordinance appropriates $4,900,000 of state funding and detailed an expenditure plan on page 8 of its report: $1,200,000 for rental assistance; $1,600,000 in grants to nonprofit partners for rental subsidies; and just over $2,000,000 for a work order to HSH. The BLA recommended approval while noting that HSA projected underspending in rental assistance and CBO contracts but that a state extension to spend the funds through December 2025 reduces the immediate wind-down risk.
Supervisor Connie Chan moved to forward the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation. The committee recorded a roll-call vote of Dorsey — aye; Engadio — aye; Chan — aye. No members of the public spoke on the item.
During discussion, Supervisor Chan raised concerns about CBO capacity and asked for follow-up with both HSA and HSH regarding contracts with Abode Services and Catholic Charities. HSA staff acknowledged underspending was in part due to lower-than-expected use of rental assistance and shorter average durations of assistance (declining from about 18 months to about 12 months), and said the state extended the spending deadline by six months to Dec. 2025.
The committee’s positive recommendation moves the ordinance to the full Board for final action.
