California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH)
California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH)
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) administers the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) program with funding received from the Building Homes and Jobs Act Trust Fund (SB 2, Chapter 364, Statutes of 2017) to assist persons experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness.
As authorized by SB 850 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2018), the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program (CESH Program) is a $53 million grant program designed to provide direct assistance to cities and counties to address the homelessness crisis throughout California. Administrative entities are eligible to receive program funding based on the following formula:
- The 2017 Point-In-Time Count.
- The number of extremely low-income households in rental housing that pay more than 50 percent of household income on rent.
- The percentage of households below the federal poverty line.
On August 15, 2018, HCD issued a NOFA for the state funds allocated to the CESH program. The total allocation to the County of Riverside is $1,344,336.00.
Eligible Uses
- Rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services.
- Operating subsidies for new and existing affordable permanent housing units.
- Flexible housing subsidy funds that establish or support the provision of rental subsidies in permanent housing.
- Operating support for emergency housing interventions.
- Systems support for activities necessary to maintain a comprehensive homeless services and housing delivery system, including Coordinated Entry System (CES) data, and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) reporting.
- Develop or update a Coordinated Entry System (CES), if the CoC does not have a system in place.
- Development of a plan addressing actions to be taken within the CoC Service area, if no such plan exists.
On October 12, 2018, DPSS, as the designated Administrative Entity for the County of Riverside Continuum of Care, submitted an Application for the California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) program funds to HCD through a collaborative effort with the County’s Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC is a network of private and public sector homeless service providers, designed to promote communitywide planning and the strategic use of resources addressing homelessness.
On August 6, 2019, the County of Riverside, Department of Public Social Services, executed the Standard Agreement (Grant Agreement) with the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The expenditure deadline is 90 calendar days prior to August 6, 2024 (Expiration Date). However, according to the subrecipient’s project application, it is anticipated that the projects will be completed within 24 months.
CESH Program page: