On Tuesday, Contra Costa County Health is set to give its Annual Continuum of Care Report and update on 2024 homeless service data and funding landscape.
According to the report (84 pages), the county served 9,995 households (14,245 individuals), marking a significant increase in outreach and program impact. Meanwhile, the Coordinated Entry System facilitated over 440 referrals to permanent housing and we successfully leveraged 41 Housing Stability Vouchers to support households experiencing chronic homelessness.
Numbers Served
During 2024, the CoC served 9,995 households (14,245 individuals), reflecting a 40% increase from 2020.
- 2,019 households served in Prevention and Diversion, for households at-risk of homelessness or newly homeless and not yet engaged in CoC services.
- 7,114 households served in Crisis Response programs, for households in sheltered and unsheltered sleep settings.
- 1,448 households served in Permanent Housing programs, for households that had been homeless and subsequently placed into permanent housing that includes supportive services.
Out of the 9,995 households served during 2024, 3,055 (31%) were able to retain or exit to permanent housing. Additional successful outcomes include:
- 97% of households that exited from prevention and diversion programs exited to permanent housing.
- 31% of household enrollments in crisis response programs exited to temporary or permanent housing and another 11% exited to emergency shelters.
- 98% of household enrollments in permanent housing programs either retained their housing or exited to other permanent housing.
The CoC received over $22 million in funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a 47% increase over five years. Additional non-HUD funds, which account for 61% of the CoC budget, have decreased by over $2 million, or 10%, from fiscal year 2020-2021 to fiscal year 2023-2024.
Population Characteristics
- Households with Children: There were 1,845 households with children served in 2024, a 79% increase since 2020.
- Transition Age Youth (TAY), ages 18-24: TAY made up 7% of the CoC served and increased by 55% since 2020.
- Race/ethnicity: Black/African American/African households and people with Multiple Races were over-represented in the CoC relative to the county population (four times and three times, respectively).
- Disabling conditions: 68% of households served in the CoC had a member with at least one disabling condition. Mental health condition was the most prevalent disability, accounting for 48% of households.
- Survivors of domestic violence: 85% of households accessing Crisis Response had at least one household member who had experienced domestic violence.
- Sexual orientation: 3% of adults served in Crisis Response identified as LGBTQIA+ and 22% of the LGBTQIA+ population served in Crisis Response were between the ages of 18 and 24.
- Veterans: The CoC served 912 veterans in 2024 (8%) of all adults. Veteran households made up 34% of all households in Permanent Housing programs.
Regional and City Data
The data suggests there is movement across the county. More people lost housing in East County (38% of households) than in Central or West, while fewer households slept in West County (28% of households) the night prior to enrolling into programs.
More people lost housing in Antioch than any other city (n= 2,049), followed by Richmond (n=1,716) and Concord (n=1,251).
Coroner’s Data
An annual memorial has been hosted in Contra Costa since 2004 to acknowledge and honor people who pass away while experiencing homelessness. The coroner reported that 76 people experiencing homelessness died during calendar year 2024, a 24% decrease from 2020 and 33% decrease from 2023.
City/County Partnerships
- City of Concord: The City of Concord adopted a Homeless Strategic Plan, allocating $5 million in one-time funding to expand housing options with support services and connect people to resources, including temporary housing and field-based assistance at sheltering locations. This initiative addresses critical needs such as medical care, substance use treatment, hygiene and workforce development, with the ultimate goal of helping individuals transition to permanent housing.
- Central Contra Costa Sanitation District: Under a three-year pilot program, Central San opened a free, self-service RV wastewater disposal station operating seven days a week to prevent illegal dumping and protect public health and waterways.
CORE Team Expansions
- El Cerrito: El Cerrito partnered with San Pablo on a one-year program to enhance outreach for unhoused individuals, cost-sharing a County CORE team for engagement, health services and housing assistance, while also becoming the first city to invest in a flexible fund for residents facing housing instability.
- Education (Tipping Point): A new CORE Education team supports homeless TAY and families by coordinating with school district Homeless Liaisons, Basic Needs Centers and CORE TAY Care Coordinators to connect students and youth (18-24) to housing, medical care and social services.
- Reentry (AB109): The two-person CORE Re-Entry team collaborates with the Sheriff’s Department and Health Care for the Homeless to connect incarcerated individuals facing homelessness to housing, medical care and essential services before release, ensuring a smoother transition back into the community.
Encampment Resolution Fund
With the support of Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) grants from the state, Contra Costa Health has significantly expanded its efforts to address homelessness and provide housing solutions across the cities of San Pablo, Richmond and Antioch.
- In San Pablo, CCH directly received $5.7 million from the state to provide direct outreach services, subcontract a Rapid Rehousing provider and expand shelter capacity at the Brookside Adult Homeless Shelter.
- In Antioch, part of the city’s $9.3 million grant includes $4.1 million contracted funds for CCH to provide project administration, Rapid Rehousing and develop an interim shelter site, along with funds for dedicated CORE outreach services.
- Additionally, Richmond’s $6.8 million grant includes contracted funding for CCH to expand outreach to two CORE outreach teams and provide project management and Rapid Rehousing.
Budget
Budgets are prepared for each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). During fiscal year 2024-2025, which overlaps with the calendar year for this annual report, HUD awarded the CoC $22,336,034 and an additional $1,789,609 through Special funding to support unsheltered homelessness. This amount represents a 47% increase over five years in HUD funding. Additional non-HUD funds in the amount of $22,727,750 obtained through grants and foundations provided supplemental and critical financial resources for CoC administration, planning, data management, housing and other critical services. These non-HUD funds, which account for 49% of the CoC budget, have fluctuated by nearly $13 million in the past five years, primarily due to one-time funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this past year, funding has stabilized and represents a 10% decrease, from fiscal year 2020-2021 to fiscal year 2024-2025 (Table 1).
Documents:
Staff Report: Click Here
Annual Report (84-pages): Click Here
Presentation: Click Here
Also on Tuesday: Contra Costa District Attorney Set to Present 2025 Annual Report
If You Go
Contra Costa Couty Board of Supervisors Meeting
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
9:00 am
1025 Escobar St., Martinez, CA 94553
Full Agenda: Click Here
