Nearly $200 million granted to house thousands of homeless Californians

State officials were granted nearly $200 million dollars on Wednesday to move thousands of homeless Californians out of encampments and into housing.

The money was allocated through the Encampment Resolution Fund which is administered by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency and the California Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The grants will be disbursed to 23 projects across 22 communities throughout the state.

The ERF fund was “designed by Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to provide communities of all sizes with the funding to move people living in encampments into housing,” according to state officials.

Wednesday’s announcement of $199 million is the third and largest round of ERF grants to be distributed. Previously, 26 communities were awarded $96 million from the fund over two rounds.

Grants being disbursed to Southern California include:

-Los Angeles County will receive the largest share with $59.5 million to serve 3,000 people on Skid Row.

-The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) will receive $13.9 million to serve 200 people*.

-Santa Barbara County will receive $6 million to serve 250 people from encampments along state rights of way and waterways*.

-Redlands will receive $4.5 million to serve 200 people from three encampments near interstates and riverbeds*.

-Oxnard will receive $4 million to serve 110 people from encampments along the coast and near wetlands.

-Carlsbad will receive $2.4 million to serve 150 highly vulnerable people facing behavioral health challenges.

Governor Gavin Newsom at a former encampment site in Long Beach where the grant announcement was made on June 14, 2023. (Governor Gavin Newsom)

“We’re doubling down on our investment to ensure that thousands of individuals in communities up and down the state move out of encampments and into housing where they can get the services and help they need,” said Newsom. “It’s not enough to simply clean up encampments. My Administration will continue to work with local leaders and community members as they serve their unhoused neighbors and remove dangerous and unsightly encampments throughout California.”

The complete list of California cities and counties receiving funds:

-Fresno will receive $17 million to serve 1,300 people*.

-San Diego County will receive $17 million to serve 300 people from two encampments*.

-Napa will receive $15 million to serve 120 people from encampments on public property*.

-San Luis Obispo County will receive $13.4 million to serve 200 people from an encampment in a flood and fire danger zone*.

-Richmond will receive $8.6 million to serve 115 people from an encampment in a state right of way*.

-Monterey County will receive $8 million to serve 70 people from an encampment along a river and creek.

-The City and County of San Francisco will receive $6.5 million to serve 273 people from a Mission district encampment*.

-Berkeley will receive $4.9 million to serve 72 people from two encampments.

-Tulare will receive $4.8 million to serve 179 people*.

-Sonoma County will receive $4.6 million to serve 130 people from an encampment along a multi-use trail.

-Santa Rosa will receive $3.9 million to serve 225 people from a large encampment.

-Marin County will receive $1.6 million to serve 92 people from an encampment in a flood zone*.

-Marin County will receive $1.1 million to serve 45 people from the “Marsh” encampment.

-Butte County will receive $1.1 million to serve 60 people from two encampments.

-Banning will receive $1 million to serve 150 people from an encampment in a flood plain*.

-Mariposa County will receive $600,000 to serve 20 people*.

-San Rafael will receive $250,000 to serve 23 people.

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