County seeks Palo Alto endorsement of draft 2026–2030 plan to end homelessness after reporting 2020–25 gains

Santa Clara County officials presented their draft 2026–2030 Community Plan to End Homelessness to the Palo Alto City Council on April 20, asking the city for feedback and a likely endorsement this fall.

Hillary Armstrong, deputy director of the county Office of Supportive Housing, told the council the county exceeded a five‑year goal to house 20,000 people during 2020–2025. "The first goal of our plan that just ended in 2025 was to house 20,000 people. And we're pleased to report that we exceeded that goal," Armstrong said during the presentation. The county reported that, of the people served under the prior plan, 665 were Palo Alto‑affiliated households and that the county has increased temporary housing capacity substantially in the last five years.

The county framed the draft plan around four priorities: preventing homelessness, housing people and supporting retention, strengthening access to care for people who are unsheltered, and centering people with lived experience in system design. Armstrong and county staff described expansions in homelessness prevention — which now serves roughly 2,500 households per year countywide — and said prevention investments have strong outcomes and favorable cost‑benefit results in county trials.

City council members asked detailed questions about the data, including how "city affiliation" is determined (Armstrong said the homelessness management information system relies on self‑reported affiliation at intake) and how funding gaps — driven by federal and state changes — might affect implementation. Armstrong acknowledged the tense funding environment and said the county is pursuing diversified local and state funding, philanthropy and managed‑care partnerships to sustain prevention and supportive‑housing services.

Several council members urged the county and the city to deepen local outreach and prevention footholds in Palo Alto. Councilmember Lou noted Palo Alto’s share of prevention services appeared lower than the city’s population share and urged expanded outreach through schools and community partners. The county noted it will develop subregional plans and will host additional community convenings, including a North County session at Mitchell Park on April 30.

The county said it will return to cities in late summer or early fall seeking formal endorsements of the draft plan and invited continued input. City staff confirmed the council will have an opportunity to review a final draft before any formal city action.

Why it matters: The county plan sets coordinated priorities and numerical targets for the next five years. If Palo Alto endorses the plan, it will signal commitment to joint funding and program priorities — including prevention and supportive housing — that shape how local resources and county programs are aligned in the years ahead.

What's next: County staff will host community meetings and collect input through May and the summer; the county expects to return for city endorsements in late summer or early fall.