Tribal Community of Practice
Strengthening Housing First Policy Through Case Analysis
June 2026
Welcome & Introductions
Whitney Lawrence - Senior Consultant Lead, Tribal Technical Assistance Téo Ortega - Senior Consulant, Tribal Technical Assistance Danielle Tobey - Senior Consultant, Tribal Technical Assistance
We recognize and acknowledge the First People of this ancestral and unceded territory – the land that today we call California. With respect to their elders, past and present, we recognize the tribal communities as the original stewards of this land, and who continue to lift up their stories and cultures.
Adopted from Los Angeles County’s
Land Acknowledgment
Our Gratitude
Past Community of Pratice Presenters
Campo Band of Mission Indians
Heather Sepulveda
Bishop Paiute Tribe
Dry Creek Rancheria
Tawni LaFrombois
Fresno American Indian Health Project
Dave Cade and Maleah Giron
Ruben Garcia and Felicia Batts
Pit River Tribe
Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians
Megan Williams and Maria McCloud
Orianna Walker
Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority
United American Indian Involvement
Priest Martinez
Travis Coble and Zitilla Jaghory
List of CDSS HHD Tribal Grantees
Bakersfield American Indian Health ProjectBear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria Big Sandy Rancheria Big Valley Band of Pomo IndiansBishop Paiute TribeCahto Tribe of Laytonville RancheriaCampo Band of Mission IndiansChemehuevi Indian TribeCher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad RancheriaDry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo IndiansEnterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of CaliforniaFort Bidwell Indian Community CouncilFresno American Indian Health ProjectGreenville Rancheria Habematolel Pomo of Upper LakeHoopa Valley TribeManchester Band of Pomo IndiansNative American Health CenterNorthern Circle Indian Housing Authority
Pala Band of Mission IndiansPicayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi IndiansPit River Tribe Susanville Indian RancheriaTolowa Dee-ni’ NationTorres Martinez Desert Cahuilla IndiansUnited American Indian InvolvementYurok Tribe Add New Tribes
Today's Agenda
- Housing First Policy Evolution
- CDSS Housing First Policy: Issues & Resolutions
Housing First Jeopardy Breakout
Housing FirstA Foundation for Lasting Outcomes
Housing First means that individuals should be connected to housing or housing supports immediately without preconditions, services shall be voluntary, client choice shall be respected, and clients shall not be rejected on the basis of income, past evictions, substance use, or any other behaviors that may indicate a lack of “housing readiness.
Evolving Guidance
There are two key Housing First letters used as guidance for CDSS HHD Grantees ALL COUNTY LETTER (ACL) NO. ACL 19-114 (2019) ALL COUNTY LETTER (ACL) NO. 24-88 (2024)
Tribal Grantee Relevance
All MOUs between Tribal grantees and CDSS contain a Housing First applicability clause. ''The Tribe shall provide assistance for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in a manner consistent with Housing First, as specified in Welfare Institutions Code section 8255."
Introducing Mason Bettencourt
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue # 1 Recidivism Motel Context
It appears as though the county is limiting the services available to “repeat customers”, but there is no CDSS guidance saying that past HSP clients cannot return for additional services, or that they need to meet certain criteria to receive assistance again.
Housing First Policy Issue # 1 Feedback
§ Repeat customers should have the same scope/duration of benefits available to them under the program as other clients, and repeat customers should not be penalized (including being de-prioritized) because they are a repeat customer. As with other clients, repeat customers’ assessed needs, goals, and preferences should be taken into account when determining service levels and duration. While programs can set general limits on the duration of services, these limits should not hinge on whether a client is a repeat customer, and there must be flexibility and exceptions built into any time limits.
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue #2
ssistance
Housing First Policy Issue #2 Feedback
ssistance
(ACL 24-88, pg. 11 – rule: “Grantees shall not automatically deny, reduce, or discontinue a recipient’s housing assistance for not fulfilling a program expectation or responsibility established by the grantee.”)
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue #3
ssistance
Housing First Policy Issue #3 Feedback
ssistance
§ Many clients will be experiencing severe trauma, and this type of language can add to feelings of shame and be read as derogatory. This is also an access to resources issue – new or clean clothes, grooming supplies, and sanitary resources may not be available to clients, and/or there may be other factors at play (mental/physical health challenges).
§ Instead of making “dress appropriately” a part of the P&Ps, this can be framed via case management engagement as a strategy for making a good impression with LLs/PMs once rapport has been built between the client and social worker, and the program can provide basic supplies in this vein to help cover any resources gaps.
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue # 4 Client Engagement & Motel Assistance
A lack of progress in securing permanent housing may be indicative of the need to engage with the recipient more intensively or in a different way, in accordance with evidence-based engagement practices.
Rather than conditioning “motel voucher extensions” on meeting ALL expectations in the Code of Conduct (bullet 1) or meeting weekly housing goals (bullet 2), ensure that Code of Conduct rules are understood and agreed to and that housing plans/goals are developed and in place.
Housing First Policy Issue # 4 Feedback
The original requirement to meet weekly housing goals was well-intentioned – e.g., a desire to ensure that anyone getting motel assistance is moving through the system and on their way to longer-term, stable, permanent housing. Ensuring that goals are in place before a renewal/extension is granted will help keep that pathway/ultimate goal of throughput to PH placement in mind, whereas requiring that the weekly goals are met ignores barriers clients may have. Inability to meet a weekly housing goal may indicate a need to revisit the goals
Thoughts?
THANK YOU
Strengthening Housing First Policy Through Case Analysis
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Transcript
Tribal Community of Practice
Strengthening Housing First Policy Through Case Analysis
June 2026
Welcome & Introductions
Whitney Lawrence - Senior Consultant Lead, Tribal Technical Assistance Téo Ortega - Senior Consulant, Tribal Technical Assistance Danielle Tobey - Senior Consultant, Tribal Technical Assistance
We recognize and acknowledge the First People of this ancestral and unceded territory – the land that today we call California. With respect to their elders, past and present, we recognize the tribal communities as the original stewards of this land, and who continue to lift up their stories and cultures. Adopted from Los Angeles County’s Land Acknowledgment
Our Gratitude
Past Community of Pratice Presenters
Campo Band of Mission Indians
Heather Sepulveda
Bishop Paiute Tribe
Dry Creek Rancheria
Tawni LaFrombois
Fresno American Indian Health Project
Dave Cade and Maleah Giron
Ruben Garcia and Felicia Batts
Pit River Tribe
Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians
Megan Williams and Maria McCloud
Orianna Walker
Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority
United American Indian Involvement
Priest Martinez
Travis Coble and Zitilla Jaghory
List of CDSS HHD Tribal Grantees
Bakersfield American Indian Health ProjectBear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria Big Sandy Rancheria Big Valley Band of Pomo IndiansBishop Paiute TribeCahto Tribe of Laytonville RancheriaCampo Band of Mission IndiansChemehuevi Indian TribeCher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad RancheriaDry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo IndiansEnterprise Rancheria of Maidu Indians of CaliforniaFort Bidwell Indian Community CouncilFresno American Indian Health ProjectGreenville Rancheria Habematolel Pomo of Upper LakeHoopa Valley TribeManchester Band of Pomo IndiansNative American Health CenterNorthern Circle Indian Housing Authority
Pala Band of Mission IndiansPicayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi IndiansPit River Tribe Susanville Indian RancheriaTolowa Dee-ni’ NationTorres Martinez Desert Cahuilla IndiansUnited American Indian InvolvementYurok Tribe Add New Tribes
Today's Agenda
Housing First Jeopardy Breakout
Housing FirstA Foundation for Lasting Outcomes
Housing First means that individuals should be connected to housing or housing supports immediately without preconditions, services shall be voluntary, client choice shall be respected, and clients shall not be rejected on the basis of income, past evictions, substance use, or any other behaviors that may indicate a lack of “housing readiness.
Evolving Guidance
There are two key Housing First letters used as guidance for CDSS HHD Grantees ALL COUNTY LETTER (ACL) NO. ACL 19-114 (2019) ALL COUNTY LETTER (ACL) NO. 24-88 (2024)
Tribal Grantee Relevance
All MOUs between Tribal grantees and CDSS contain a Housing First applicability clause. ''The Tribe shall provide assistance for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness in a manner consistent with Housing First, as specified in Welfare Institutions Code section 8255."
Introducing Mason Bettencourt
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue # 1 Recidivism Motel Context
It appears as though the county is limiting the services available to “repeat customers”, but there is no CDSS guidance saying that past HSP clients cannot return for additional services, or that they need to meet certain criteria to receive assistance again.
Housing First Policy Issue # 1 Feedback
§ Repeat customers should have the same scope/duration of benefits available to them under the program as other clients, and repeat customers should not be penalized (including being de-prioritized) because they are a repeat customer. As with other clients, repeat customers’ assessed needs, goals, and preferences should be taken into account when determining service levels and duration. While programs can set general limits on the duration of services, these limits should not hinge on whether a client is a repeat customer, and there must be flexibility and exceptions built into any time limits.
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue #2
ssistance
Housing First Policy Issue #2 Feedback
ssistance
(ACL 24-88, pg. 11 – rule: “Grantees shall not automatically deny, reduce, or discontinue a recipient’s housing assistance for not fulfilling a program expectation or responsibility established by the grantee.”)
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue #3
ssistance
Housing First Policy Issue #3 Feedback
ssistance
§ Many clients will be experiencing severe trauma, and this type of language can add to feelings of shame and be read as derogatory. This is also an access to resources issue – new or clean clothes, grooming supplies, and sanitary resources may not be available to clients, and/or there may be other factors at play (mental/physical health challenges). § Instead of making “dress appropriately” a part of the P&Ps, this can be framed via case management engagement as a strategy for making a good impression with LLs/PMs once rapport has been built between the client and social worker, and the program can provide basic supplies in this vein to help cover any resources gaps.
Thoughts?
Housing First Policy Issue # 4 Client Engagement & Motel Assistance
A lack of progress in securing permanent housing may be indicative of the need to engage with the recipient more intensively or in a different way, in accordance with evidence-based engagement practices. Rather than conditioning “motel voucher extensions” on meeting ALL expectations in the Code of Conduct (bullet 1) or meeting weekly housing goals (bullet 2), ensure that Code of Conduct rules are understood and agreed to and that housing plans/goals are developed and in place.
Housing First Policy Issue # 4 Feedback
The original requirement to meet weekly housing goals was well-intentioned – e.g., a desire to ensure that anyone getting motel assistance is moving through the system and on their way to longer-term, stable, permanent housing. Ensuring that goals are in place before a renewal/extension is granted will help keep that pathway/ultimate goal of throughput to PH placement in mind, whereas requiring that the weekly goals are met ignores barriers clients may have. Inability to meet a weekly housing goal may indicate a need to revisit the goals
Thoughts?
THANK YOU