$145.4 million: New California homelessness grants target housing and services while state tightens accountability
Sacramento, California – California is continuing to pour money into local homelessness responses, with Gov. Gavin Newsom announcing $145.4 million in new Homelessness Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding for eight regions across the state.
The latest awards come as the administration points to a 9% drop in unsheltered homelessness in 2025 and California’s first overall decline in homelessness in 15 years, framing the new round of grants as part of a broader push to turn state spending into measurable local results.
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The funding will go to communities in Lake, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Solano, Yolo and Yuba counties, where local agencies and regional partners are expected to use the money to move people off the streets and into shelter, services and more stable housing.
State officials said the HHAP program has already helped more than 100,000 Californians transition from homelessness into permanent housing, while also speeding up prevention efforts and regional coordination.
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Newsom said the state is trying to back programs and local governments that can show progress, not simply distribute money without results. That focus on accountability was central to the latest awards, which were reviewed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. To qualify, applicants had to show how the funding would help reduce homelessness.
The state has also tied the money to housing compliance requirements and reserved the ability to claw back funds from jurisdictions that fail to demonstrate progress. Residents can track local performance through the state’s accountability dashboard.
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The largest share announced in this round is headed to Santa Clara County, the City of San Jose and the regional Continuum of Care, which will receive nearly $49.9 million for interim housing sustainability, rapid rehousing, case management, supportive services, and prevention and diversion work. Orange County and its regional partners will receive $35.1 million for rapid rehousing, shelter operations, supportive services and youth housing. Sacramento’s region is set to receive $31.7 million, while Riverside’s share totals $20.4 million.
Other awards include $1.4 million for Lake County, nearly $4.1 million for Solano County, more than $2.2 million for Yolo County, and nearly $600,000 for Yuba County, where the money will help expand and improve interim housing with additions such as kitchens, laundry facilities, bathrooms, showers and counseling space.
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The administration said 80% of the HHAP budgets in the eight regions will be directed toward permanent and interim housing. With this announcement, 31 of 42 regional applications submitted under HHAP Round 6 have now been funded, for a total of more than $724.3 million. Another $500 million is planned in Round 7 next budget year, with even stricter accountability standards as the state continues to press local governments to pair housing expansion with tangible progress on homelessness.
