County of Monterey Votes to Support California ‘AT HOME’ Plan to Address Homelessness; Developed by Counties, the AT HOME Plan Provides a Roadmap to Addressing Homelessness While Implementing Accountability Measures for Every Level of Government

 

Salinas, CA – On May 16, 2023, County of Monterey Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support AT HOME, a first-of-its-kind comprehensive approach developed by the California Association of Counties in collaboration with county leaders throughout the state to effectively and equitably address homelessness in California.

This program starts at the top, where critical decisions about homelessness are made. It includes broad

goals and specific policy proposals to ensure clear lines of responsibility and accountability for every

level of government while improving the way California collectively responds to homelessness.

“Counties are on the forefront of addressing our homelessness crisis in California. The County of

Monterey now joins in support of the California State Association of Counties’ AT HOME plan to

comprehensively address ongoing funding, accountability and programming needs,” said Luis Alejo,

chair of the Board of Supervisors. “There is much work to be done in reducing homelessness and getting

our unhoused residents into services, but it must be done comprehensively in partnership with local

governments and other stakeholders.”

AT HOME was developed nearly a year of an all-county effort to analyze barriers to addressing

homelessness and developing solutions, tailored to the unique needs of our communities. The six pillars

of the AT HOME plan are:

• Accountability: Clear responsibilities aligned to authority, resources, and flexibility for all levels

of government

• Transparency: Integrate and expand data to improve program effectiveness

• Housing: Increase and maintain housing units across the spectrum

• Outreach: Develop sustainable outreach systems and increase workforce to support these

systems

• Mitigation: Strengthen safety net programs

• Economic Opportunity: Create employment and education pathways, as well as supports for

basic needs

“We want to incorporate CSAC’s AT HOME plan into the work we are already doing to produce results

for hundreds of residents in Monterey County experiencing homelessness,” says Supervisor Wendy

Askew, Chair of the County of Monterey’s Homelessness Committee. “The County of Monterey has

worked diligently to make inroads into the needs of homeless residents. Ensuring clear lines of

responsibility and accountability will enhance our focus and efforts.”

Counties run or administer most health and human services programs on behalf of the state and federal

governments. These programs include CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, mental health and substance use disorder

services, In-Home Supportive Services, Child Welfare Services, Adult Protective Services, and CalFresh.

For more information go online to https://www.counties.org/home-plan.