FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fernando Zamora
Communications Advisor
Office of Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento Fernando.Zamora@ocgov.com
(714) 673-4575
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR VICENTE SARMIENTO RECEIVES UNANIMOUS SUPPORT TO PILOT THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND COUNTY HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM
The program will be administrated through the Office of Care Coordination.
Santa Ana, Calif. (January 9, 2024) –Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento is thrilled to announce the unanimous approval from the Orange County Board of Supervisors for the establishment of a program aimed to address the prevention of homelessness through a combination of an economic solution with wrap around services.
Administered by Orange County’s Office of Care Coordination, the Homelessness Prevention and Stabilization Pilot Program (Pilot Program) will connect families and individuals with essential County resources, including workforce development, financial literacy education, and food pantry services. This comprehensive initiative combines direct payments, wrap-around services, and robust case management to proactively address homelessness and promote housing stability, targeting immediate needs such as healthcare and housing.
Aligned with the County’s commitment to the Homeless Service System Pillars, the Pilot Program focuses on the Prevention Pillar. By keeping individuals and families housed and preventing eviction through short-term interventions, it aims to reduce overall homelessness in a cost-effective manner.
The program utilizes $1.5 million from the Second District discretionary funding and $1.5 million repurposed from residual program funding.
“This first-of-its-kind pilot program is intended to keep people on the brink of homelessness in a stable living situation by preemptively addressing homelessness with economic support, effectively lowering expenses for taxpayers while alleviating the emotional burden on our most vulnerable residents. Our ultimate goal is to study the effectiveness on people’s lives through a university study,” said Supervisor Sarmiento. “This program represents a crucial step toward addressing homelessness with an economically viable solution.” He continued.
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Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in November 2022. He represents the Second District, which includes Santa Ana and portions of Garden Grove, Tustin, Orange, and Anaheim. Previously, he served the Santa Ana community as a Councilmember from 2008–2020 and as Mayor from 2020–2022. Currently, he serves as Chairman on the Commission to End Homelessness, director for the Orange County Transportation Authority as well as a director for CalOptima Health. For more information, visit SupervisorSarmiento.com
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