DATE: March 17, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Retroactive Acceptance of Funding Allocations for State Housing Programs
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively approve and authorize the acceptance of four California Department of Social Services allocations effective July 1, 2025, for the:
a. California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Housing Support Program ($1,587,320),
b. Home Safe program ($1,366,047),
c. Bringing Families Home program ($1,474,951), and
d. Housing and Disability Advocacy Program ($602,026); and
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Social Services, or his or her designee, to accept future annual or one-time allocations from the California Department of Social Services for various social services programs that require the County Welfare Director’s Certification.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval will retroactively authorize the Department of Social Services (Department) to accept a combined total of $5,030,344 in State funding to provide critical housing-based case management, rental assistance, and stabilization services to vulnerable populations, including families in the child welfare system, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) participants, and Adult Protective Services (APS) clients. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board should decide not to approve the recommended actions, the County will forfeit over $5 million in State funding dedicated to homeless services. Consequently, the Department would be unable to provide specialized housing support to children at risk of foster care entry, CalWORKs participants seeking self-sufficiency, and APS clients at risk of abuse or neglect due to housing instability.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The first recommended action is retroactive to July 2025, when the Department Director finalized required program certifications to secure State funding by the required deadlines.
To prevent the forfeiture of over $5 million in state allocations and maintain compliance with California Department of Social Services (CDSS) requirements, the Director completed the following certifications to meet strict State deadlines:
• CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP): Certification of the FY 2025-26 allocation of $1,587,320 was due July 11, 2025.
• Bringing Families Home (BFH) and Home Safe: Certifications for these one-time allocations ($1,474,951 and $1,366,047, respectively) were due by December 5, 2025.
• Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP): The certification for the $602,026 allocation was due by December 12, 2025.
Although the Department Director signed these certifications to preserve the County's funding, the length of time required for thorough administrative review and standard Board agenda item processing prevented this item from being presented to your Board at an earlier date. Retroactive approval is now requested to formally authorize the acceptance of these funds and memorialize the County’s commitment to the program terms.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The total funding of $5,030,344 is comprised of the following CDSS allocations: BFH ($1,474,951), HDAP ($602,026), HSP ($1,587,320), and Home Safe ($1,366,047). Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests through June 30, 2028.
DISCUSSION:
HSP was established in 2014 by Senate Bill (SB) 855 with a $20 million budget, and funding has gradually increased since the program's inception, with an annual budget currently at $95 million. The Budget Act of 2025 (SB 101) appropriated one-time funds for CDSS to allocate to counties and eligible tribal grantees for the Home Safe, BFH, and HDAP programs.
The Department accepted the following four housing program allocations from CDSS to support various at-risk populations in Fresno County: CalWORKs HSP, providing financial assistance and housing-based case management to CalWORKs families experiencing or at risk of homelessness; Home Safe, aimed at Adult Protective Services (APS) clients; BFH, supporting family reunification and preventing children from entering foster care; and HDAP, providing disability income application assistance and housing support for individuals experiencing homelessness who are likely eligible for Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI) benefits.
The first recommended action is needed to retroactively authorize the acceptance of HSP, Home Safe, BFH, and HDAP allocations finalized with Director Certifications to the State in 2025. This is the first time CDSS has included certification language mentioning Board approval, prompting the need for this action.
The Department will utilize these funding allocations to provide housing-based services to families within the child welfare system, CalWORKs participants, APS clients, and SSI/SSDI-eligible individuals experiencing homelessness. This includes existing agreements with Fresno Housing Authority (FHA) for HSP and BFH participants in need of Rapid Rehousing services at their Sierra Terrace location, as well as an agreement with WestCare California Inc. for HDAP participants for specialized benefits advocacy and housing supports. Any future agreements for services not directly administered by the Department will be presented to your Board for separate approval at a later date.
To maximize the impact of these funds, the Department will collaborate with the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC), the Fresno Housing Authority, and other local partners to leverage the Coordinated Entry System (CES) to provide targeted referrals and align CDSS programs with participant needs.
The second recommended action authorizes the Department Director to accept future CDSS allocations and sign required certifications on behalf of your Board. This authorization formalizes past administrative practices, ensuring the timely acceptance of State funds and the efficient use of County staff resources.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #44, March 25, 2025
BAI #47, June 4, 2024
BAI #54, March 19, 2024
BAI #51, December 12, 2023
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - CalWORKs Housing Support Program (HSP) FY 25-26 County Welfare Director's Certification
On file with Clerk - County Fiscal Letter (August 12, 2025) - California Work Opportunity And Responsibility To Kids Housing Support Program Allocation Final Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26
On file with Clerk - Home Safe Program FY 25-26 (One-Time Funding Allocation) County Welfare Director's Certification
On file with Clerk - Bringing Families Home Program FY 2025-2026 (One-Time Funding Allocation) County Welfare Director's Certification
On file with Clerk - Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) FY 2025-2026 (One-Time Funding Allocation) County Welfare Director's Certification
CAO ANALYST:
Dylan McCully