No Place Like Home Program: permanent supportive housing.

Existing law, the No Place Like Home Program (NPLH) , as ratified and amended by Proposition 2, which was approved by the voters at the November 6, 2018, statewide general election, provides funding to provide permanent supportive housing for the target population, which is defined to include individuals who have a serious mental disorder and who are homeless, chronically homeless, or at risk of chronic homelessness. Existing law defines permanent supportive housing to mean housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population, and that is linked to onsite or offsite services, as specified. Existing law makes the Department of Housing and Community Development the administrator of the NPLH and establishes the continuously appropriated No Place Like Home Fund for purposes of the NPLH. Existing law requires the department to develop a competitive application process for the purpose of awarding moneys to counties pursuant to the NPLH, but also authorizes the department to establish an alternative process for allocating funds directly to counties with at least 5% of the state's homeless population and requires the department to adopt guidelines establishing the parameters of an alternative process, if it is established. Existing law authorizes the Legislature to amend Proposition 2 by a 23 vote, so long as the amendment is consistent with and furthers the intent of the act. Existing law also provides for the transfer of funds from the Supportive Housing Program Subaccount of the Mental Health Services Fund, a continuously appropriated fund established for purposes of the Mental Health Services Act, an initiative measure enacted by the voters as Proposition 63 at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, to the No Place Like Home Fund, a continuously appropriated fund. This bill would amend Proposition 2 by expanding the definition of permanent supportive housing to include specified licensed adult residential facilities, residential care facilities for the elderly, and any innovative housing solution in the mental health continuum of care. By expanding the class of facilities that are eligible for funding from the continuously appropriated No Place Like Home Fund, the bill would make an appropriation.