SB 852 Summary

• Establishes the No Place Like Home Program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development to award $2 billion through competitive and distribution programs to finance capital costs and operating reserves for permanent supportive housing serving homeless, chronically homeless, and at-risk populations.

• Allocates $1.8 billion for a competitive program among counties with eligibility requirements including county commitment to provide mental health services for 20 years and development of a homelessness combat plan, with awards made in at least four rounds.

• Distributes $200 million on an over-the-counter basis to all counties proportionate to their homeless population or $500,000 minimum per county, whichever is greater.

• Appropriates $6.2 million from the Mental Health Services Fund for technical assistance to counties and requires annual county reporting on funded supportive housing activities to the department.

• Establishes the No Place Like Home Program Advisory Committee to advise on program implementation and requires the department to submit annual reports to the Legislature and conduct program evaluation in collaboration with a research university.