What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom and the Department of Housing and Community Development today announced the awards of $118.9 million in federal funding for 29 California rural and tribal communities to create more affordable housing and supportive services.
April 30, 2025 - SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) today announced nearly $118.9 million in awards from three federally funded programs to address homelessness by funding development of 487 affordable rental homes, supporting emergency shelters and homeless outreach, and providing rapid rehousing and supportive services needed to help low-income Californians attain and maintain housing stability.
“Our nation’s housing crisis doesn’t end at city limits, and we must ensure housing and services are available to all members of our communities. We are grateful for this additional federal funding to ensure that our rural and tribal communities receive the housing support they need and deserve.”
In 2021, the U.S. Congress appropriated $5 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act to reduce homelessness nationwide. Of that amount, $512 million was awarded directly to California communities by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Another $155 million went to HCD to implement HOME Investments Partnerships American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) programs in California for those non-entitlement jurisdictions—specifically rural communities and unincorporated areas—that did not receive funding directly from HUD.
HCD’s HOME-ARP Rental Housing (RH) program announced ten awards totaling $89 million, including two awards to Tribal Entities. The Yurok Indian Housing Authority and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians received a combined $18.7 million to fund 31 HOME-ARP assisted units.
“Housing affordability and homelessness affect all areas, not just our large, metro areas,” said Tomiquia Moss, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Secretary. “The State works diligently to provide and channel funding to all counties, to provide local providers the support needed to ensure programs in their communities deliver real results. This funding does just that and I pledge our continued support for local governments in their work to lessen and eliminate homelessness and create more affordable housing.”
“By providing much-needed resources to rural and tribal communities, these awards help address our homelessness crisis and meet the critical needs of these residents,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Federal support ensures the state continues its stride toward providing housing stability and affordability for all.”
The HOME-ARP RH awards announced today will fund much-needed affordable rental housing in the counties of Del Norte, El Dorado, Kings, Lake, Madera, Mendocino, Merced, Monterey, and Placer. The ten projects awarded will include a total of 487 affordable rental homes, including 184 HOME-ARP funded units for low-income households and other qualifying populations. This includes people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, those fleeing violence or human trafficking, and others at greatest risk of housing instability.
HCD also announced six awards totaling $26.4 million from its HOME-ARP Housing Plus Support Program (HPSP) to support households who are currently experiencing homelessness, as well as those who will benefit from services designed to prevent homelessness.
For more information about the awards, visit California Housing and Community Development’s website here.
Source: Office of the Governor
