Local Officials Meet to Discuss "AT HOME" Plan to Address Homelessness
Shasta County recently gathered local County, City, Tribal, and nonprofit partners to meet with Graham Knaus, CEO of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), to discuss a new plan to address homelessness called "AT HOME." The plan was developed as an all-county effort to analyze barriers to addressing homelessness and developing solutions, tailored to the unique needs of our communities. The six pillars of the AT HOME plan are:
- Accountability: Clear responsibilities aligned to authority, resources, and flexibility for all levels of government
- Transparency: Integrate and expand data to improve program effectiveness
- Housing: Increase and maintain housing units across the spectrum
- Outreach: Develop sustainable outreach systems and increase workforce to support these systems
- Mitigation: Strengthen safety net programs
- Economic Opportunity: Create employment and education pathways, as well as supports for basic needs
AT HOME is designed to be a collaborative effort between CSAC, the League of California Cities. The plan recognizes that local officials have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of their communities and are best equipped to develop solutions that work for their residents. The hope is to gain support for AT HOME from California cities and counties and effectively impact policy at the state level. This would give greater freedom to local officials to use State allocated funds at their own discretion to serve their communities, instead of implementing blanket solutions which may work in some CA cities, but not others.
The meeting was an opportunity for local officials to learn more about the plan and to discuss how it could be implemented in Shasta County. Knaus emphasized the importance of the collaboration between cities and their County. To maximize the impact of funding and resources, it's important for cities and counties to designate who does what and work together. This collaboration can help to streamline efforts and ensure that individuals experiencing homelessness are getting the support and services they need.
By empowering local officials and communities to take the lead in addressing homelessness, the AT HOME plan has the potential to create meaningful and lasting change in communities across California.
This could be a significant step forward in addressing homelessness in California and provide a roadmap for local communities to follow in addressing this critical issue.
At the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting on April 18, Supervisors will consider extending formal support for the AT HOME plan.
