Alameda County adopts Measure W framework, designates 80/20 split and approves near‑term allocations

Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors adopted a Measure W allocation framework on July 30, directing a fixed split of roughly 80% of ongoing Measure W revenue to a Home Together Fund for homelessness and housing services and 20% to an Essential County Services Fund to support other county priorities such as food security and senior services.

County staff told the board the Measure W ballot measure — a half‑cent general sales tax approved by voters in November 2020 — has generated $810 million in accrued receipts through June 30, 2025, is projected to produce roughly $170 million per year for the next six fiscal years, and could total about $1.8 billion over the remainder of the measure’s term. The staff packet and slides described three spending “buckets”: (1) the Home Together Fund (housing and homelessness programs), (2) the Essential County Services Fund (food security, services in unincorporated areas, senior services and infrastructure), and (3) a proposed prudent reserve.

The board adopted a set of specific recommendations read into the record by staff, including: formal adoption of guiding principles; designation of two funds (Home Together and Essential County Services); creation of a $170 million prudent reserve from one‑time accrued funds; a policy to allocate any year‑end receipts above the $170 million projection to the Home Together Fund; and direction that the Measure A and Measure C oversight committees serve as the Measure W look‑back committee to review expenditures for consistency with the voter‑approved ordinance.

President Halbert led the meeting to public comment before deliberations; more than two hours of testimony followed from service providers, housing developers and residents. Speakers urged the board to prioritize evidence‑based homelessness solutions in the Home Together plan, oppose any payments to landlords that would function as a “bailout,” and include people with lived experience in program design and oversight. Senior service representatives and food‑security providers urged immediate bridge funding for programs that had lost ARPA or other short‑term supports.

County administrators and program directors answered multiple questions from supervisors about timing, eligibility and verification. Jonathan Russell, Director of Alameda County Health, Housing and Homelessness Services, told the board that “a portion of the funds would be able to be disseminated quickly within the next six to 12 months,” primarily one‑time capital infusions to bring interim and permanent sites online, while staff emphasized that many other programs will be implemented in stages and returned to the board with more detailed allocation plans at a September 30 work session.

The board voted to adopt the Measure W framework (items A–K as corrected in the record) by roll call with all supervisors voting aye. The board then separately approved the funding allocations that staff had proposed for food security and senior services (including $4 million recommended to the Alameda County Community Food Bank for procurement and $2 million for senior services through the Area Agency on Aging) and authorized staff to establish a $15 million emergency stabilization designation within the Home Together Fund to support nonprofit affordable housing providers meeting specified criteria; the board asked that eligibility language be clarified and returned as needed in September for additional refinement.

Supervisors also requested staff deliver additional analyses of how federal and state budget changes could affect county residents and service providers. Staff committed to returning with more detailed funding frameworks and an implementation plan at the September 30 work session, plus annual performance reporting beginning at the end of 2026.

Next steps: staff will set up Measure W as a special revenue fund with the Auditor‑Controller, finalize administrative procedures and return to the board in September with the refined allocation plan and further eligibility definitions for the emergency stabilization designation.