City of Concord awards $5M to partner organizations to implement Homeless Strategic Plan
CONCORD, CA (Nov. 4, 2024) — The Concord City Council approved the allocation of $5 million to six local organizations for the implementation of the strategies contained in the Homeless Strategic Plan that the Council adopted in February 2024.
Beginning in November, the City will distribute $5 million of one-time, non-recurring funding to the following organizations. These organizations will offer a combination of temporary housing and comprehensive support services to help individuals transition out of homelessness.
Additionally, they will deliver field-based services to people in their current sheltering locations, addressing essential needs such as medical care, substance abuse treatment, food and hygiene, and workforce development. The ultimate goal of implementing the strategies listed below is to support individuals with successfully exiting homelessness and achieving permanent housing.
| Organization | Strategy | Funding Allocated |
| Caminar | Rapid Rehousing | $1,580,000 |
| GROW Concord | Mobile Resource Unit | $1,705,000 |
| Hope Solutions | Permanent Motel Supportive Housing |
$760,000 |
| NAMI Contra Costa | Mobile Resource Unit | $200,000 |
| Northern California
Family Center |
Scattered Site Interim Housing | $25,000 |
| Veterans Accession House | Scattered Site Interim Housing | $730,000 |
In September, the City issued a request for proposals from organizations specializing in homeless response services. Seventeen organizations submitted proposals, and on Sept. 20, the ad hoc committee comprised of Councilmembers Dominic Aliano and Laura Nakamura conducted public interviews with each applicant.
The ad hoc committee then developed their funding recommendations based on key attributes, including community benefits, goals and objectives, partnership and funding sources, and organizational capacity.
Concord’s Homeless Strategic Plan, which was developed over the course of 11 months with significant community participation, consists of seven core strategies:
- Creating a Mobile Resource Unit
- Investing in Rapid Rehousing
- Development of Scattered Site Interim Housing
- Development of Scattered Site Tiny Homes
- Development of Centralized Tiny Homes
- Securing Interim Motel Housing
- Securing Permanent Supportive Motel Housing
All strategies prioritize addressing the immediate needs of those living unsheltered by focusing on connection to services and expanding housing options with support services.
Additionally, the City Council approved a $126,500 agreement with Homebase for grant monitoring and reporting services. This agreement will enable the City to closely track the progress of each program and gather data to measure and report on the achievement of specific outcomes and goals. By evaluating the effectiveness of the programs and the investments made, Concord will be better positioned to inform future initiatives and provide valuable insights that could benefit other agencies or similar programs.
This funding is in addition to the approximately $1 million annually that Concord distributes to support 10 local organizations that serve unsheltered residents.
Read the full report to Council: https://stream.ci.concord.ca.us/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/Agenda%20Staff%20Report%20for%20-%20HOMELESS%20STRATEGIC%20PLAN%20GRANTS%20(20249).pdf?meetingId=1141&documentType=Agenda&itemId=20249&publishId=29454&isSection=false
View the Fact Sheet highlighting the City’s work to address homelessness: https://cityofconcord.org/DocumentCenter/View/7070/Homeless-Services-Fact-Sheet-July24?bidId=