To: Board of Supervisors
From: Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Council on Homelessness “Homelessness Awareness Month” Presentation
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ACCEPT presentation recognizing November 2025 as Homeless Awareness Month by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council on Homelessness; ADOPT a resolution declaring November as Homelessness Awareness Month, and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month in Contra Costa County; and ADOPT a resolution declaring December 21st as Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day in Contra Costa County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fical impact for this action.
BACKGROUND:
November is National Homelessness Awareness month and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) month. The Council on Homelessness will join the national effort to highlight the various housing and homelessness issues in our community and showcase the myriad efforts within the homeless Continuum of Care that is making a real impact on reducing homelessness.
In Contra Costa, we are marking this month in a number of ways including;
1) A Homelessness Awareness Toolkit to support engagement on the issue of homelessness through education, advocacy, and service (<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1f_x2447DMe8VybeqfuozY6gspKLX3UC1?usp=drive_link>)
2) Recognizing and hosting a reception on 11/4 to celebrate nearly 100 people, projects and businesses who have made an impact on the lives of people facing homelessness (Register for the event at <https://forms.office.com/g/xQMNUsYVdx>. See full slate of recognized parties attached to the packet)
3) A training on Adultism presented by the Youth Action Board on 11/10 (Register: <https://homebaseccc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpf-Crqj0vG9T2WvrbPE_50eD1xJZArPV4>)
4) Cohosting a Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day event with Contra Costa Crisis Center, NAMI Contra Costa and SoS Richmond on Friday, December 19th (Register for event here: <https://forms.gle/xUwFRUoLefe8L7y76>)
5) Asking the Board of Supervisors to adopt two resolutions naming a) November as Homelessness Awareness Month and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month and b) December 21st as Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not taken, there will not be a much public awareness regarding the issue of homelessness in Contra Costa County.
The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County, California
IN THE MATTER OF declaring November Homelessness Awareness and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month
WHEREAS, November is recognized nationally as Homelessness Awareness Month, and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month, a time to acknowledge the challenges faced by adults, youth and young adults, and families experiencing homelessness and to mobilize community-wide efforts toward lasting solutions; and
WHEREAS, 14,245 individuals accessed homeless services in Contra Costa County in 2024-an increase of 40% from 2020, underscoring systemic housing challenges; and
WHEREAS, homelessness in Contra Costa County is driven primarily by the lack of affordable housing, with 32,296 low-income renter households in Contra Costa County not having access to an affordable home in 2024; and
WHEREAS, according to The Opportunity to Change: A Community Needs Assessment for Youth and Young Adult Homelessness, an estimated 13,506 young people are experiencing homelessness in Contra Costa County, driven by factors such as aging out of foster care, family conflict, a lack of affordable housing, and systemic disparities including racism, homophobia, and transphobia; and
WHEREAS, renters needing to earn $45.50per hour-more than 2.5 times the City of Richmond’s minimum wage-to afford the average monthly rent of $2,366; and
WHEREAS, in 2025 in Contra Costa County, there were only 3,787 temporary and permanent housing beds for persons experiencing homelessness, a stark shortfall compared to the scale of need across our communities; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County’s 34% increase in temporary and permanent housing beds over the past two years reflects a sustained commitment to expanding shelter and housing solutions; and
WHEREAS, racial disparities persist, with Black/African American/African households and people with Multiple Races were over-represented in the CoC relative to the county population (4x and 3x, respectively); and
WHEREAS 63% of unsheltered people surveyed as part of Contra Costa’s 2025 Point in Time Count experienced being made to move by city workers or law enforcement within the past year; and
WHEREAS research shows that criminalizing homelessness worsens the crisis and deepens existing racial inequities and
WHEREAS, since 2020, Contra Costa has seen an 79% increase in households with minor children, a 69% increase in seniors aged 65+, and a 53% increase in Transition Aged Youth (ages 18-24) accessing homeless services; and
WHEREAS, the Contra Costa Continuum of Care unites over 50 organizations, jurisdictions, and individuals committed to preventing and ending homelessness through coordinated housing, health, and support services; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa Continuum of Care is committed to promoting evidence-based practices like Harm Reduction and Housing First to achieve permanent housing outcomes for the most vulnerable in our community;and
WHEREAS, the Youth Action Board, composed of youth and young adults (YYA) with lived experience of homelessness in Contra Costa County, is actively leading and amplifying the voices of YYA, informing the Contra Costa Continuum of Care, and providing leadership and guidance in collaboration with community stakeholders to end YYA homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the Council on Homelessness, staffed by Contra Costa Health, serves as both an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors and the planning entity for the Continuum of Care, welcoming public engagement and collaboration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors hereby proclaims November 2025 as Homelessness Awareness Month and Youth Homelessness Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) Month in Contra Costa County.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board affirms its commitment to building and sustaining a well-resourced, coordinated, and equity-driven Continuum of Care that meets the complex needs of people experiencing homelessness.
The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County, California
IN THE MATTER OF naming December 21, 2025 National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day
In recognition of the lives lost and the ongoing crisis of homelessness, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors seeks to honor the memory of those who died without housing and to recommit to lasting solutions that affirm dignity, health, and housing for all.
WHEREAS, December 21, 2025 marks the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, symbolizing the hardships faced by individuals living without shelter; and
WHEREAS, the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council have designated December 21, 2025 as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day; and
WHEREAS, 14,245 individuals accessed homeless services in Contra Costa County in 2024-an increase of 40% from 2020, underscoring systemic housing challenges; and
WHEREAS, homelessness increases risk of illness, injury, and premature death, with non-elderly homeless individuals facing a mortality rate 3.5 times higher than their housed peers-comparable to housed individuals two decades older in age; and
WHEREAS, in 2024, the Contra Costa Coroner reported 76 people experiencing homelessness who died during calendar year 2024, a 33% decrease from 2023; and
WHEREAS, drug and alcohol-related accidental deaths represented the highest cause of mortality in this group, followed by natural causes and other accidents; and
WHEREAS, cuts to Medicaid will disproportionately impact people experiencing homelessness, making it more difficult to access the broad range of care needed to maintain their health, engage in employment, and achieve housing; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County calls on government agencies, faith communities, business leaders, nonprofit organizations, and residents to recognize the urgent need to address homelessness through sustained collaboration, compassion, and advocacy; and
WHEREAS 63% of unsheltered people surveyed as part of Contra Costa’s 2025 Point in Time Count experienced being made to move by city workers or law enforcement within the past year; and
WHEREAS, the Council on Homelessness, serving as both an advisory board to the Board of Supervisors and the planning body for the Continuum of Care, coordinates the county’s strategy toward ending homelessness and encourages active community participation; and
WHEREAS, the Health, Housing, and Homeless Services Division of Contra Costa Health is committed to making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring through an integrated system of housing and support; and
WHEREAS, a ’Homeless Persons Memorial <https://forms.gle/yLVppZ6pvMEqvFzH9> event will be held on Friday, December 19, 2025 coordinated by Contra Costa Council on Homelessness, NAMI Contra Costa and Safe Organized Spaces Richmond, offering space to honor lives lost; and
WHEREAS, by gathering in remembrance and solidarity, the community can affirm its commitment to meaningful change and honor the humanity of every neighbor lost to homelessness;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED That the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors hereby declares December 21, 2025 as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day in Contra Costa County-to honor those who have died without shelter, to encourage collective reflection and engagement, and to strengthen our commitment to housing solutions rooted in dignity, equity, and hope.