Alameda County health officials outline homelessness progress, warn federal cuts could imperil programs

Alameda County health and homelessness staff told the county Health Committee on Jan. 12 that a combination of local Measure W dollars and a newly created Home Together Fund are expanding interim and permanent housing, but they cautioned federal funding risks could force tradeoffs between keeping existing shelter capacity open and creating new units.

Jonathan Russell, director of Alameda County Health, Housing and Homelessness Services, briefed supervisors on the county’s response since the board declared a countywide homelessness state of emergency on Sept. 19, 2023. Russell said the county and its city partners reported about $435,000,000 in homelessness funding in the most recent year, roughly half of which was county‑committed funds: “$435,000,000 in total funds awarded or committed,” he said, confirming the figure in response to a question. He said the system saw a 3% reduction overall in the point‑in‑time count and an 11% reduction in unsheltered homelessness after the declaration, which he described as a positive sign.

Russell described the Home Together Fund—an estimated $1.4 billion investment decided by the board in July 2025—as the "North Star" that will guide capital, operations and prevention investments. He said county modeling suggests roughly $153,000,000 could be available annually under current revenue projections over the next eight years, with about one‑third directed to shelter, about 37% to permanent housing and roughly 15% to prevention. Russell cautioned, however, that changes at the federal level affecting HUD priorities could put an estimated $33–60 million of that funding at risk, creating potential shortfalls for existing programs.

The county said it has already opened roughly 300 interim beds by converting existing hotels and buildings and added 25 winter youth shelter beds at Lake Merritt Lodge; those beds are aimed at people with high and complex needs. Russell also highlighted procurement and hiring constraints: H&H currently employs about 90 staff, with more than 20 positions pending reclassification or approval to expand the team. "We have to balance between reserving funding to keep programs in operation and also standing up projects that could quickly be closed down," he said.

Committee members pressed staff on whether the emergency declaration had produced concrete administrative flexibilities. The chair said the declaration was intended to speed hiring and contracting; staff responded that the declaration has created urgency and enabled some fast‑tracking (for example, provisional appointments), but it does not automatically waive county procurement or civil‑service rules. "The emergency itself doesn't waive civil service requirements and the different rules that we have to abide by," the agency director said.

Michelle Starett, introduced by staff as the director leading the county’s land‑use working group, described a site‑assessment toolkit HCD is sharing with city housing staff and recommended making site criteria and toolkit materials public so jurisdictions can identify interim and conversion opportunities. Starett said local political buy‑in—city council approval processes in Oakland, for example—along with funding constraints limit rapid conversion of some tax‑defaulted or underutilized sites, even when properties exist.

Supervisors and public commenters urged stronger integration with behavioral health and substance‑use treatment. Resident Gloria Crowell, who also serves on local advisory commissions, said the county needs "extremely better coordination between the City of Oakland and the County of Alameda" and that many people currently living unsheltered also need combined substance‑use and behavioral‑health treatment before housing will be effective.

Staff noted other state and federal capital sources—BCHIP and similar programs—are expected to add several hundred residential treatment or bridge beds in coming years, and the county is piloting outreach and harm‑reduction measures such as a HRSA‑funded mobile pharmacy to deliver medications directly to encampments.

Russell said the county will continue to prioritize sustaining existing shelter operations while enhancing and, when possible, expanding capacity: "Sustain is top priority," he said. He added that continuing advocacy and monitoring of federal litigation and state budget outcomes is necessary to determine the final available resources and ensure programs remain funded.

The committee heard that the county will bring a more detailed Home Together Fund performance update in February and return in the spring with proposals on organizational structure, including whether H&H should transition to a standalone departmental structure to gain additional administrative capacity and streamline operations. The committee recessed and later reconvened for a separate point‑in‑time count briefing.