Bay Area receives $14 million in state grants to combat youth homelessness

The Bay Area is receiving $14.3 million from the state to help homeless families with children and unhoused young adults find lasting homes.

The awards are part of the latest rounds of two statewide grant programs, which Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week.

“These grants are critical for helping to connect some of the most vulnerable Californians with access to housing,” Newsom said in a statement. “Many of these young adults don’t have the support of friends or family that most of us take for granted.”

The money will help local agencies provide housing and services for young adults under 25, prioritizing those currently or formerly in the foster care or probation systems. It will also help add transitional housing beds, bolster workforce training programs and offer financial assistance for homeless families with children.

The awards include $5.6 million (two grants) for Santa Clara County, $2.1 million for San Francisco, $1.9 million for Alameda County, $1.9 million for Oakland, $1.8 million for Sonoma County, $1 million for Contra Costa County, $626,040 for Livermore, $283,050 for San Mateo County, $280,768 for Solano County and $173,160 for San Mateo County.

In applying for the grants, local governments had to demonstrate a need to help homeless families and young adults into housing. It was not immediately clear why some jurisdictions received more money than others.

Across the Bay Area, an estimated 37,000 people experience homelessness on any given night. In Santa Clara County, the local county with the largest homeless population, there are roughly 360 homeless families with children and about 760 homeless youth, according to the most recent count last year. More than 80% stay in homeless shelters.

“We know childhood experiences of homelessness can have a devastating impact on educational attainment, economic opportunity, and health throughout adulthood,” Tomiquia Moss, the state’s top homelessness official, said in a statement. “California’s youth deserve every opportunity to succeed.

The awards follow a scathing April audit that found officials had failed to track the effectiveness of the $24 billion the state spent over the past five years to combat homelessness.

Still, state officials said the latest grants will have an impact.

“Housing stability is the most basic foundation every young person needs to be able to build a better future,” Gustavo Velasquez, the state’s top housing official, said in a statement. “This tremendous partnership with our counties helps ensure these young people have the tools and support to allow them not just to survive, but to thrive.”