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Program Description

  Homeless Services

Homeless Services provides emergency shelter, street outreach, diversion services, and transitional housing to households experiencing homelessness. All services are focused on housing, with the goal of connecting households to permanent housing as quickly as possible by addressing barriers such as locating affordable housing, limited or no access to behavioral and somatic healthcare, and lack of employment and income. Services include diversion, comprehensive case management, persistent engagement, housing location, employment training, legal services, and assistance with entitlements like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and health insurance.

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Program Contacts

Contact Christine Hong of the HHS - Services to End and Prevent Homelessness at 240-777-1179 or Deborah Lambert of the Office of Management and Budget at 240-777-2794 for more information regarding this department's operating budget.

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Program Performance Measures

Program Performance MeasuresActual FY24Actual FY25Estimated FY26Target FY27Target FY28
Number of individual adults counted during annual Point In Time count 1748798850900950
Average length of stay in days for adults in emergency shelter (year-round shelter, overflow, motels), safe havens, street outreach, or transitional housing 2129139150160170
Percent of adults who exited to permanent housing, of those who exited emergency shelter (year-round, overflow, or motels), safe havens, street outreach, or transitional housing 327%20%15%20%25%
Percent of families with minor children experiencing homelessness for the first time 67%65%69%74%78%
Average length of stay in days by homeless families in emergency shelter 4121146160170180
1  The number of individuals experiencing homelessness increased in FY25 due to systemic barriers such as high rent amounts, housing discrimination, and a lack of sufficient permanent supportive housing options. The program anticipates a rise in homelessness but will continue to work to mitigate this increase by leveraging County resources for diversion efforts and eviction prevention.
2  Economic factors such as increases in rent have made housing more difficult to secure for individual adults. Adults in more vulnerable situations may also stay in shelters, safe havens, or transitional housing for a longer time, increasing averages.
3  The decrease in positive exits to housing is due to the expiration of the additional funding for housing that the County received from the Federal government in response to COVID. The program predicts some increase in positive exits in FY27-FY28 with the potential of new housing options.
4  The program continues to see an increase in length of stay due to a lack of affordable housing for families as well as an increase in family sizes which limits permanent housing options. The program anticipates longer stays in future years due to continued limitations in housing and resources for families.
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Program Budget Changes

FY27 Recommended ChangesExpendituresFTEs
FY26 Approved140736113.00
Increase Cost: One-Time Funding of Overflow Emergency Shelter Support for Families at a Reduced Level of Motel Room Usage Due to Funding Added to Short-Term Housing and Rental Assistance Program19611710.00
Increase Cost: Fill Adult Shelter Budget Gap with General Funds11696360.00
Increase Cost: Fill Outreach Budget Gap with General Funds4389090.00
Multi-program adjustments, including negotiated compensation changes, employee benefit changes, changes due to staff turnover, reorganizations, and other budget changes affecting multiple programs.73044069.40
FY27 Recommended2494773312.40