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HomeMy WebLinkAboutac-health-home-together-faq-external-updated-20260723 Updated July 23,2026 1 Home Together Plan/Fund Updates for H&H staff July 2026 WHAT IS THE HOME TOGETHER PLAN? Home Together is Alameda County’s strategic plan for building a coordinated homeless response system that can meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness and reduce racial disparities. The Home Together 2026 Community Plan was adopted by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, the Conference of Mayors, the Oakland-Berkeley-Alameda County Continuum of Care, and cities across the county in 2022. The plan outlines strategies and actions shaped by input from people with lived experience, system leaders, service providers, and partners in the homelessness response system. Building on lessons from Home Together 2026, Alameda County is now refreshing the plan as Home Together 2030. The updated plan will integrate: ● Updated analysis and modeling for the countywide homelessness response system ● An updated and expanded racial equity analysis ● Feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including cities and people with lived experience of homelessness ● The latest Point-in-Time Count and systemwide data These elements will guide actionable strategies and investments to address homelessness and racial disparities in the context of California’s evolving policy and funding landscape. WHAT IS THE HOME TOGETHER FUND? The Home Together Fund is a source of local funding to advance the goals of the Home Together Plan. The Fund is used to further the Home Together Plan goals. The Home Together Fund supports: ● Sustaining existing programs: keeping existing homelessness programs and services running that might otherwise close due to funding gaps. ● Program enhancement: strengthening existing programs so they are more effective and impactful. ● Expansion: adding new services and housing in line with the Home Together Plan’s priorities. One-Time Capital Investments support multiple program areas: sustaining, enhancing, and expanding interim and permanent housing options and clinics. HOW DOES MEASURE W CONNECT TO THE HOME TOGETHER FUND? Measure W is a voter-approved, ten-year general purpose half-cent sales tax. Voters passed Measure W in November 2020, and the revenues were collected in an escrow account until the measure cleared legal challenges in April 2025. Updated July 23,2026 2 $810 million in revenue was accrued between July 2021 and July 2025, and the measure is projected to bring in $170M annually between July 2025 - June 2031. On July 30, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved a framework and plan that included designating two Measure W Funds: ● Home Together Fund (administered by H&H) - 80% of the sales tax revenue received between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2031, will go to the Home Together Fund to support housing, shelter, rental assistance, and services to reduce homelessness (~$136 million/ year). Additionally, all funds in excess of the estimated annual revenue will go to the Home Together Fund. ● Essential County Services Fund (administered by CAO) - 20% will go to the Essential County Services Fund to support food security, mitigate state/federal cuts, senior and immigrant services, and other safety-net programs (~$34 million/ year). In addition, from the one-time accrued funds, the Board designated $170 million for a Prudent Reserve to ensure stability during economic downturns, $585M to the Home Together Fund, and $54M to the Essential Services Fund. Total Measure W revenue is projected at approximately $1.8 billion over ten years. In total, the Board of Supervisors approved an allocation of approximately $1.4 billion (dependent on actual tax collection) to homelessness and housing initiatives through the Home Together Fund. HOW IS THE HOME TOGETHER FUND BEING USED? The countywide Home Together Plan serves as the roadmap for the planning and investments made toward homelessness and housing through the Home Together Fund, administered by AC Health’s Housing and Homelessness Services (H&H). Additionally, some funds will be leveraged for federal or state backfill to preserve existing services and housing that may be lost given potentially reduced funding. Funding is focused on six key areas: Updated July 23,2026 3 Administrative expenses, including increased staffing to support new or expanded areas, are factored into each funding area as needed. WHAT IS THE GENERAL TIMELINE FOR GETTING FUNDING OUT? The Home Together Fund is being deployed through Fiscal Year 2031-2032. Most of the funding will support sustaining, enhancing, and expanding homelessness programs and services. Implementation will take place in phases as the County builds staffing and program infrastructure and completes community planning and procurements over the coming months. ● Completed as of June 2026: ○ Home Together Fund Community engagement, program design, and administrative implementation ○ Procurements and program launches ■ Expanding interim housing ■ Implementing a flexible housing subsidy pool ■ Developing a one-time capital investment fund (in partnership with the Community Development Agency’s Housing and Community Development Department) ■ Launching a new Housing and Homeless Services vendor pool to streamline future procurement ■ Enhancing Housing Resource Center access points with prevention resources, financial assistance, and employment services ● 2026 onward: Release of additional funding opportunities, on a rolling basis as planning is refined and as new housing and service projects are ready to launch. Upcoming procurements include: ○ Homelessness prevention hub agency ○ Capital funding for primary care clinics ○ Capital funding for acquisition, rehab, preservation, and operating reserves ○ Workforce development and employment services