AB 2325

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law requires the Governor to establish the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, formerly known as the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council, and to appoint specified members of that coordinating council. Existing law requires agencies and departments administering state programs created on or after July 1, 2017, to collaborate with the council to adopt guidelines and regulations to incorporate core components of Housing First, as defined. Existing law establishes the goals of the council, which include identifying mainstream resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California. Existing law requires that the coordinating council be under the direction of an executive director, who is under the direction of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, and staffed by employees of that agency. This bill would place the California Interagency Council on Homelessness under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Interagency Council on Homelessness, which the bill would establish within the Governor's office, under the control of a director, on or before September 30, 2023. The bill would require the Governor to appoint a director of the office to perform specified duties and responsibilities in connection with overseeing the work of the office. The bill would specify the primary purposes of the office, which would include coordinating homelessness programs, services, data, and policies. The bill would require state agencies and departments with representatives on the council, or workgroups established by the council, to report to and coordinate with the director of the office and would require the director to coordinate with the chairs of the council. The bill would require the office to serve the Governor as the lead entity for ending homelessness in California. The bill would require the office to fulfill various duties including convening a funding workgroup, comprised of council staff and staff working for agencies or departments represented on the council to accomplish specified goals, including, among others, aligning requests for proposals, all-county letters, and notices of funding proposals with standards following evidence-based housing and housing-based service models. The bill would require the documents and meetings of the funding workgroup to be confidential, as provided. The bill would also require the workgroup to coordinate with relevant state agencies and departments to reduce the risk of long-term homelessness by developing specific protocols and procedures to accomplish various goals, including connecting older adults to programs and services that assist independent living. The bill would also require the council, as part of its goals, to develop and implement a statewide strategic plan on homelessness that establishes measurable objective and strategies to enhance state-level accountability, coordination, and best practices. The bill would provide for the transfer of employees who are engaged in the performance of functions for the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, as well as the transfer of debts and liabilities of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency with respect to overseeing and supporting the council to the Office of the Interagency Council on Homelessness. The bill would require the Deputy Secretary on Homelessness within the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency to be the director of the office, subject to appointment by the Governor and Senate confirmation. The bill would require all unexpended balances of appropriations and other funds available for use in connection with the council to be transferred to the office, as specified, upon appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose. The bill would make other related, conforming changes to these provisions. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.