Report 2020-112 Recommendation 9 Responses
Report 2020-112: Homelessness in California: The State's Uncoordinated Approach to Addressing Homelessness Has Hampered the Effectiveness of Its Efforts (Release Date: February 2021)
Recommendation #9 To: Santa Clara County Office of Supportive Housing
To help ensure that it has adequate levels of services and service providers in its area to meet the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness, the County of Santa Clara should coordinate with its CoC to ensure that the CoC annually conducts a comprehensive gaps analysis in accordance with the plan it has developed under federal regulations. To be effective, the gaps analysis should consider whether adequate services are available in the areas where individuals are experiencing homelessness and should contain strategies to address any deficiencies.
1-Year Agency Response
The Santa Clara County CoC performs an annual gaps analysis of the services available to meet the needs of people who are experiencing homelessness, including, but not limited to, the capacity and utilization of programs and the population served by programs across the County. In accordance with this recommendation, these reports also include recommendations on how to address any identified gaps as well as strategies to improve programming and services. The CoC's gaps analysis is conducted through workgroups and annual reporting functions. This process includes:
- Annual Coordinated Assessment System Evaluation
- Annual System Performance Benchmark Setting Process
- Annual State of Supportive Housing System Report
- Monthly Supportive Housing System Dashboard Reports
Additionally, the planning and implementation of the Community Plan to End Homelessness includes regular assessment of gaps and strategies to address those gaps. The CoC's process of continually reviewing gaps, as well as system and program outcomes across workgroups and the Board, ensures that leadership and program staff fully understand the effectiveness and breadth of its homeless programs, empowering the CoC to make real time changes to improve services and outcomes instead of making decisions on stale data and findings that may no longer be applicable or relevant to the population being served. The Santa Clara County CoC designed this approach to the gaps analysis to ensure that the practice of addressing identified gaps is a regular part of strategic planning and integrated into ongoing system improvement efforts.
- Completion Date: February 2021
- Response Date: March 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: No Action Taken
Despite our requests, the County of Santa Clara did not provide any documentation to support its claim of full implementation.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
6-Month Agency Response
The Santa Clara County CoC performs an annual gaps analysis that complies with applicable federal regulations and requirements. On February 22, 2021, the State Auditor confirmed that its report did not conclude that the Santa Clara County CoC is not in compliance with regulatory requirements. The Santa Clara County CoC therefore considers this item closed.
- Completion Date: February 2021
- Response Date: August 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken
We evaluated the gaps analysis of the five CoCs, including Santa Clara CoC, against best practices because federal regulations do not have specific requirements. Based on these best practices, we determined that Santa Clara CoC does not take a comprehensive approach to performing a gaps analysis, as we state in the report. For example, we found that its coordinated assessment work group's analysis focuses solely on the CoC's coordinated entry process. However, this group's analysis does not comprehensively identify services that are needed but not available within the CoC's area. Therefore, we stand by our recommendation.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
60-Day Agency Response
The Santa Clara County CoC performs an annual gaps analysis that complies with applicable federal regulations and requirements. On February 22, 2021, the State Auditor confirmed that its report did not conclude that the Santa Clara County CoC is not in compliance with regulatory requirements. The Santa Clara County CoC therefore considers this item closed.
- Completion Date: February 2021
- Response Date: April 2021
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken
We evaluated the gaps analysis of the five CoCs, including Santa Clara CoC, against best practices because federal regulations do not have specific requirements. Based on these best practices, we determined that Santa Clara CoC does not take a comprehensive approach to performing a gaps analysis, as we state in the report. For example, we found that its coordinated assessment work group's analysis focuses solely on the CoC's coordinated entry process. However, this group's analysis does not comprehensively identify services that are needed but not available within the CoC's area. Therefore, we stand by our recommendation.
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
All Recommendations in 2020-112
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.