Existing law establishes the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (council), which has various goals, including, among other things, to serve as a statewide facilitator, coordinator, and policy development resource on ending homelessness in California.

This bill would require the council to, by July 1, 2028, complete a comprehensive statewide study of the coordinated entry system and its role in connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to affordable housing, as specified. The bill would require the council, in conducting the study, to meaningfully consult with a geographically representative group of stakeholders, as described, and would require the council, by July 1, 2028, to post the report on its internet website and submit the report to the Legislature and any relevant policy committees.

8257.5.

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “CES” or “coordinated entry system” means a centralized or coordinated assessment system developed pursuant to Section 578.7 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, designed to coordinate homelessness program participant intake, assessment, and provision of referrals.

(2) “Continuum of care” has the same meaning as defined in Section 578.3 of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) On or before July 1, 2028, the council shall complete a comprehensive statewide study of CES and its role in connecting individuals and families experiencing homelessness to affordable housing, including supportive housing, in California.

(c) The study shall evaluate the operation, effectiveness, capacity, and outcomes of CES throughout the state and identify opportunities to improve coordination, reduce unnecessary administrative barriers, accelerate appropriate housing placements, and support effective local implementation.

(d) In conducting the study, the council shall meaningfully consult with a geographically representative group of stakeholders, including, but not limited to:

(1) Continuums of care and CES lead entities representing urban, suburban, rural, and geographically diverse regions of the state.

(2) Counties, cities, public housing authorities, and other local public entities participating in coordinated entry systems.

(3) Homelessness service providers, outreach providers, and housing navigation providers.

(4) Supportive and affordable housing developers, owners, operators, and property managers.

(5) Behavioral health and health care entities participating in coordinated entry or housing referral processes.

(6) Tribal governments and organizations serving tribal communities.

(7) Individuals with lived experience of homelessness and coordinated entry.

(8) The Department of Housing and Community Development, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and other state entities that fund or regulate housing or homelessness programs that require or utilize CES.

(e) The study shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) An assessment of the structure, governance, administration, and capacity of CES throughout the state, including differences in system design, staffing, funding, geographic coverage, access points, assessment processes, prioritization methodologies, matching and referral practices, and housing inventory management.

(2) An assessment of whether individuals and families experiencing homelessness have equitable and timely access to coordinated entry, including barriers experienced by people living in rural or geographically isolated communities, tribal communities, people with disabilities, families with children, youth, older adults, survivors of domestic violence, and other populations for whom access may present unique challenges.

(3) A review of the process from initial access to CES through housing placement, including enrollment, assessment, prioritization, eligibility and documentation verification, matching, referral, provider screening, lease-up, and enrollment into permanent housing.

(4) An assessment of the time associated with each stage of the CES and housing placement process and, to the extent data are available, identification of stages at which significant delays, referral attrition, or unsuccessful placements occur.

(5) Identification of federal, state, and local requirements affecting CES operations, including the entity responsible for each requirement and whether the requirement originates in federal law or regulation, state statute or regulation, state funding requirements, local coordinated entry policies, housing program requirements, regulatory agreements, or housing provider practices.

(6) Identification of documentation, eligibility, screening, referral, or compliance requirements that delay or prevent housing placement, including:

(A) The entity responsible for imposing or administering the requirement.

(B) The purpose of the requirement.

(C) Whether substantially similar information has already been collected or verified through coordinated entry, a homeless management information system, another governmental program, or another homelessness response system.

(D) To the extent data are available, the frequency and duration of delays attributable to the requirement.

(7) An analysis of variation among coordinated entry systems, including:

(A) The extent to which variation results from federal requirements, local housing inventory, available resources, populations served, geography, system capacity, or local policy.

(B) Whether identified variation creates barriers to housing placement or reflects appropriate responses to local needs and conditions.

(C) Practices demonstrated to improve access, referral timeliness, successful housing placements, housing utilization, or other system outcomes that may be appropriate for voluntary replication in other communities.

(8) An assessment of the interoperability of CES and homeless management information systems with state and local housing, health, behavioral health, and benefits programs, including opportunities to reduce duplicative data collection and documentation consistent with applicable privacy and confidentiality requirements.

(9) Identification of opportunities for state agencies to simplify or align state housing and homelessness program requirements, eliminate duplicative documentation, clarify existing compliance requirements, or provide technical assistance without altering local CES governance or federally required functions.

(10) An assessment of the appropriate role of the state in supporting CES, taking into consideration federal authority governing continuums of care and CES, local governance and decisionmaking, differences in community needs and resources, and the state’s role as a funder of housing and homelessness programs.

(f) (1)On or before July 1, 2028, the council shall post the report on its internet website.

(2) On or before July 1, 2028, the council shall, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, submit the report to the Legislature and any relevant policy committees.