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March Highlights:
In this month's newsletter, learn how the Housing Families First Collaborative is addressing family homelessness (including through a new funding opportunity), explore local opportunities to learn about and be part of building a safer community, and access new resources for providers and advocates.
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The Housing Families First Collaborative has taken on the role of a strategic leader in addressing family homelessness within Sacramento County. However, this role requires much more than just strategizing. It means driving innovation, challenging the status quo, and creating lasting change through both data and collaboration to advance solutions that ensure every family has a safe and stable home.
Whether advocating for housing, integrating services, or mobilizing resources, Collaborative members drive action. Our in-person monthly meetings foster idea-sharing and problem-solving, offering fresh insights and renewed energy for ending homelessness.
These discussions also strengthen connections, like when the Help Me Grow initiative joined last year, expanding early childhood support for families participating in Waking the Village and Sacramento Children’s Home programs. Through developmental screenings and early intervention referrals, Help Me Grow enables caretakers to better understand and support their child’s developmental milestones, promoting school readiness and long-term success.
In addition to strategy, the Collaborative is bringing much-needed funding to Sacramento to resolve family homelessness. We are actively seeking one or more partners to launch the Family-Focused Housing Accelerator Pilot through a new Request for Proposals (RFP). This initiative will provide comprehensive housing support for at least 150 families, focusing on short-term rental assistance, housing navigation, and case management—critical components of a proven model to help families regain stability. More details, including funding availability and key deadlines, can be found here.
With strong leadership, bold ideas, and collective action, we can create a future where family homelessness is rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Let’s continue to challenge, innovate, and lead by example to drive meaningful change.
With deep gratitude,
Marjorie Delgadillo
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Continuum of Care January Meetings
Discover more about the CoC and its committees by joining upcoming public meetings. Information on the meeting date, time, format, and agenda is under each committee's "Meeting Details" tab.
- Mar. 11: Partners with Lived Expertise
- Mar. 12: CoC Board
- Mar. 20: Coordinated Access System
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Frontline Learning Collaborative Meeting
Mark your calendars for the next Frontline Learning Collaborative session on Thursday, March 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Rose Family Creative Empowerment Center. We will be welcoming a guest speaker from My Time Movement, a local nonprofit working to prevent youth homelessness.
This is a great opportunity for frontline staff to connect, learn, and grow together.
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Attend, Table, or Sponsor: Sacramento ACT Resource Fair
Register now to participate in the Sacramento Area Congregations Together (ACT) resource fair happening Thursday, May 1. This free community event will provide resources, activities, and connections for families.
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Join the Terner Center for a Webinar on Housing Legislation
Happening on Tuesday, March 18, 3:00–4:00 p.m.: Panelists will discuss housing bills introduced for the 2025 legislative session—including building reforms and funding measures—and what they might mean for residents across the state. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how legislation may shape housing production and housing affordability.
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Updates & Progress Points | | |
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Housing Solutions Taking Shape Across Sacramento
Sacramento continues to advance regional solutions to homelessness through key partnerships and investments in housing stability:
Motel Shelter Program Extended: The City of Sacramento has renewed contracts for its Motel Shelter Program, which shelters 600 people per night—primarily families with children. With $7.8 million in funding, this program provides housing navigation, case management, and stabilization services to support long-term housing outcomes.
Oak Park Homeownership Milestone: Seven families in Oak Park achieved homeownership thanks to a collaborative effort between the City of Sacramento, Habitat for Humanity, and community partners. This project is part of the City’s broader investment in housing stability, ensuring long-term affordability.
Sacramento Launches "Sacramento Health Connects": Sacramento County launched Sacramento Health Connect (SHC), a new data-sharing system designed to remove barriers for residents, particularly those experiencing homelessness, by linking medical, behavioral health, and housing assistance records across county services. This ensures seamless referrals and reduces service gaps, so individuals only have to tell their story once to access the right support.
These efforts align with the Regionally Coordinated Homelessness Action Plan (RCHAP), which strengthens regional collaboration to prevent and resolve homelessness. Developing the RCHAP was a key factor in securing $53.2 million for our community in the 2024 round of the state's Homeless, Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program. This funding, part of the $827 million awarded statewide, will help sustain and expand programs that provide shelter, housing, and supportive services
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New Data Dashboard from Sacramento Steps Forward
The State of Homelessness Dashboard is now live! This interactive tool provides a monthly snapshot of homelessness in Sacramento, including trends in first-time homelessness and exits to permanent housing. These data show how people move through the Homeless Response System and how our community is working to create lasting solutions. View the dashboard on a desktop for the best experience and track changes over time using the dropdown menu.
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State Announces Continued Homelessness Funding and New Progress Tracker
California is continuing to invest in homelessness solutions statewide with the release of more than $760 million available for the upcoming Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program Round 6. This funding will help communities maintain and expand shelter, housing solutions, and support systems. At the same time, the state has launched a new online accountability tool, accountability.ca.gov, to track counties' progress on housing, homelessness, and behavioral health. Sacramento’s impact is clear—the tracker highlights that 22,311 housing units were completed between 2019 and 2023, unsheltered homelessness has dropped by 40.8% since 2023, and 2,221 people are receiving behavioral health support through Full-Service Partnerships.
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Community Impact from the Coordinated Access System
Sacramento's Coordinated Access System (CAS) is our community's door to homelessness and housing services. In January, it helped to connect 7,566 people to resources. Alongside these efforts, 21 households were prevented from experiencing homelessness, 274 people found shelter, and 93 moved into housing. To access help through CAS, call 2-1-1 and press 8.
In February, progress continued with Powell’s Landing (69 units) and Hope Landing (122 units for seniors) preparing for move-ins, expanding permanent housing options with on-site support. Additionally, two new rapid rehousing programs—the Disabilities Benefits Advocacy Program and Housing for Healthy California—began accepting referrals, providing vital housing and health-related support to individuals facing chronic homelessness and complex needs.
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"No Address" in Theaters Now
The locally produced film No Address has sparked important conversations in our community about the realities of life without housing and the resilience of those experiencing it. With a 98% score from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, the film continues to raise awareness and inspire action on preventing and resolving homelessness.
Additionally, the producers are sharing 50% of profits with nonprofits addressing homelessness—directly benefiting local organizations. While it was recently in theaters, it may no longer be showing depending on your location. Check with your local theater for availability.
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Get Caught Up with #NAEH2025: Innovations and Solutions for Ending Unsheltered Homelessness
A small team from Sacramento Steps Forward attended the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) annual conference in Los Angeles from February 26–28. This event brought together experts, advocates, and service providers from across the country to share innovative strategies. With over 100 sessions, attendees explored policy updates, evidence-based solutions, and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration to enhance our local impact.
Learn more about the NAEH conference here, and experience some of the speeches and forums yourself by watching the recordings below.
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CAS Assessor Training Series
Thank you to everyone who attended our 2025 training series for Coordinated Access System (CAS) Assessors! For those who were unable to attend live, we have compiled the recordings and resources as the most up-to-date reference for existing, new, and incoming CAS Assessors. They are also excellent reference for providers looking to learn more about the CAS, the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), case management, and trauma-informed care. Plus, each recording includes labeled chapters to easily navigate between topics.
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Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Support and Resources for Providers
Sacramento Steps Forward is dedicated to supporting enrolled providers in their funding applications by providing detailed outcome reports from our HMIS and offering tools to enhance your program's success. Want to access support?
Are you interested in learning more about the data and reports that come out of our HMIS? Sign up for our HMIS Data mailing list below.
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From Sacramento County: 988 Suicide and Crisis Line
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, support is just a call away. The Community Wellness Response Team (CWRT) provides 24/7 trauma-informed crisis response, ensuring individuals receive care without law enforcement intervention. By calling or texting 988, you can connect with trained professionals who offer immediate support and help navigate next steps.
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Advocacy with the Click of a Button: Urging Congress to Protect HUD Programs and Staff
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is calling on advocates to urge Congress to protect HUD programs and staff from devastating cuts. These potential reductions would affect communities across the country by closing shelters, halting housing projects, and increasing evictions. Take action today by contacting your representatives using the form below.
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"The Smarter Way to End Homelessness—and Why It Works"
Is homelessness solvable? In Invisible People's latest episode, we see the data to prove that is. Rosanne Haggerty, CEO of Community Solutions, shows how the "Built for Zero" model is ending homelessness in cities worldwide, and how collaboration, data, and smarter systems can permanently solve this crisis.
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Provider Funding Opportunity: Youth Service Corps (YSC) - Young Adult Work Experience
The City of Sacramento's Office of Innovation and Economic Development is seeking applications from non-profit community-based organizations and government entities to run a Young Adult Work Experience Program.
The City has allocated approximately $1 million and intends to enter into no more than 5 grant agreements with organizations to train and employ Sacramento’s priority youth and young adults ages 16-30 in the areas of climate, food insecurity, education, and public service.
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Workforce Innovations Grant from the National Alliance to End Homelessness
The National Alliance to End Homelessness (Alliance) is offering a new opportunity to encourage small-scale innovations. The Alliance is requesting proposals for a funding opportunity that will award a one-time grant of up to $50,000 to continue an existing project or start a new one. Eligible activities include any that support the recruitment, promotion/advancement, and retention of high-quality homeless services staff,
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Join the Sacramento Steps Forward Team!
Sacramento Steps Forward currently has two positions open: Budget Analyst and Project Manager.
If you or someone you know may be interested, please use the link below to learn more, share information, and/or apply.
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