Continuum of Care Meetings

Get involved in our local Continuum of Care (CoC), which leads our regional planning, coordination, and funding to resolve homelessness. This month's upcoming meetings include:

• CoC Board: Wednesday, September 9, 8:00 a.m.

• Coordinated Access System Committee: Thursday, September 10, 2:30 p.m.

You're Invited: Fall 2026 Sacramento Stand Down

The Fall 2026 Sacramento Stand Down will take place September 24–26 at the Volunteers of America Veterans Service Center in Mather. Sacramento Stand Down brings together government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other service providers to connect veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness with a coordinated network of support.

The three-day event will run 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Saturday. Services and resources will be available all three days on a first-come, first-served basis.

Interested in participating as a community partner? View the Community Partner Flyer for information about providing services or resources at the event.

Share Your Expertise at Housing California’s 2027 Annual Conference

Housing California is now accepting session proposals for its 2027 Annual Conference, taking place May 4–6 in Sacramento. This year’s theme, Growing Our Movement to Meet the Moment, will highlight innovative, interactive sessions focused on lessons learned, practical solutions, and strategies for systems-level change.

Local providers and partners are encouraged to consider submitting a proposal, particularly for Track 7: Strengthen Organizations & Leaders in the Movement, to share local experience and expertise from Sacramento’s homelessness response system.

Session proposals are due by October 9, 2026.

Housing Problem-Solving Training: Building Practical Skills with Sacramento Providers

Sacramento Steps Forward leads training on Housing Problem Solving to equip providers with practical, person-centered skills to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness explore housing options based on their strengths, relationships, and goals.

Feedback from our latest session shows that providers are leaving with greater confidence in having those conversations and helping clients identify realistic next steps. That includes exploring immediate housing options, supporting clients in making their own choices, and approaching each conversation with culturally responsive, trauma-informed practices. The next two-day HPS training will take place October 14–15, and openings are still available but limited.

Task Force Begins Work on Regional Governance Planning 

Representatives of regional governments and the Continuum of Care began meeting in early August to work on a new plan for managing Sacramento's homelessness response system. The group, known as the Sacramento Housing and Homelessness Ad Hoc Task Force, plans to finalize a recommendation by early 2027. 

The final plan will include details on the CoC's board composition and charter, roles and responsibilities, and implementation steps. It will require approval by all participating jurisdictions. Learn more about the task force and what it means for Sacramento in the full update below.

Senate Bill 802: Status and What We Know 

As a local task force works on reframing governance of our homelessness response system, Senate Bill 802, authored by Sen. Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento), has been approved by the state Legislature and is waiting for the Governor’s signature. 

The intention of the bill is to require Sacramento County and local cities to establish and participate in a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), a new legal entity, to coordinate housing and homelessness efforts across the county and give direction to the region's Continuum of Care (CoC) and its lead agency, Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF). 



Here is what we do and don’t know at this stage: 

• Structure and Cost: The bill doesn't specify how the new JPA would oversee the CoC and SSF. At this time, we cannot estimate how that oversight would impact reporting, staffing, administrative structure, or associated costs. 
• CoC Board: Federal regulations require Continuums of Care to maintain a board, and state law cannot override that. It is unclear at this time how the JPA and its new board would relate to our existing CoC Board. 
• Funding decisions: SB 802 directs the new JPA to align regional funding while also stating that local jurisdictions retain final control and approval over local, state, and federal funds. How those two provisions work together in practice hasn't been spelled out yet. 

We will continue to monitor the status of the bill as it nears the September 30 deadline for the Governor’s decision. 

2-1-1 Will Update Hours to Concentrate Coverage During Peak Demand

Beginning October 1, 2-1-1’s Coordinated Access System will shift to core operational hours of Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The change is designed to better align staffing with peak demand and the hours when shelters and housing programs are most available for intake.

Community members will continue to be able to reach 2-1-1 and access the Coordinated Access System 24/7/365. Focused CAS Specialist staffing during core hours will help ensure more people receive timely, comprehensive assistance when demand is highest and housing and shelter resources are most accessible.

Staff Spotlight: Welcoming Dr. Ayanna McGee as Chief Implementation Officer

We’re pleased to congratulate Dr. Ayanna McGee on stepping into her new role as Chief Implementation Officer at Sacramento Steps Forward. In this role, Ayanna will lead system-level efforts to strengthen and integrate the systems of care that support people experiencing homelessness, helping translate regional priorities into coordinated implementation across partners and programs.

Ayanna brings deep experience in public health, program implementation, evaluation, and community engagement, along with a strong commitment to building systems that work better for people experiencing homelessness.

Ayanna succeeds Dr. Trent Simmons in the role following his appointment as SSF’s Chief Executive Officer. We’re grateful for the strong foundation Trent built and look forward to Ayanna bringing her own leadership, expertise, and perspective to this important work.

The Coordinated Access System:

July Data

July was another strong month for helping individuals move toward greater stability. Connections to resources increased to 6,080 from 5,832 in June, and Problem-Solving Access Points (PSAPs) helped 62 households find or maintain housing, up from 49 in June. The direct client assistance utilized for PSAPs also increased substantially, to $218,558 in July up from $127,368 in June.

This direct assistance supported people facing a range of housing challenges, including individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time, college students, and families moving into new homes after experiencing homelessness. We saw across the board how timely, flexible assistance can help meet different needs and remove barriers to housing stability.

Shelter enrollments also increased to 422, up from 383 in June, primarily because clients had to be exited and re-enrolled when moving between shelter locations. Overall, July’s results reflect the continued role of problem solving and direct assistance in helping people navigate housing crises and move toward a place they can call home.

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From Sacramento County: Progress, Challenges, and the Work Ahead for Homelessness Services

Sacramento County has released a new FY 2025–26 update drawing on HMIS data from County-funded homelessness programs. The results point to continued progress: 6,662 unduplicated people were served, and 43% of participants who exited programs moved to permanent housing.

The update also offers a broader look at shelter use, participant needs, and how County investments are supporting the work.