Glossary

A collaboration with Santa Cruz County’s Homeless Persons Health Project, Encompass Community Services, Santa Cruz AIDS project, the behavioral health agency, and Front St. Inc. The goal of the 180/180 campaign was to house 180 of the most medically vulnerable, chronically homeless people in the county between late 2012 and July 2014 as well as turn their lives around 180 degrees.

Affordable housing is housing which is considered affordable to those with a median household income or income below a recognized housing affordability index.

Also known as "All In- Toward A Home For Every County Resident," the All-In plan is the strategic plan to address homelessness adopted by the City and County of Santa Cruz, Capitola and Watsonville.
Click here for the complete plan.

In the homelessness context, barrier to entry means and obstacle to accessing a particular service. For example, shelters that do not allow pets can pose a barrier to entry to clients who own animals.

The California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program provides funds for a variety of activities to assist persons experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Authorized by SB 850, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) administers the CESH Program with funding received from the Building Homes and Jobs Act Trust Fund (SB 2).

Defined by HUD as an unaccompanied individual or head of a family household with a disabling condition who has either continuously experienced homelessness for a year or more, or has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness totaling 12 months, in the past three years.

The CACH is an advisory body created by the Santa Cruz City Council to make policy recommendations on homelessness to the Council.

The Continuum of Care Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, and State and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Also known as coordinated assessment, coordinated entry is a “no wrong door” approach to addressing homelessness that synthesizes available housing and services so that so that homeless persons can be quickly matched with needed and available programs.

Day services refer to non-sleeping services and may include showers, laundry, telephone and internet access, medical care, substance use and mental health services, legal services, employment assistance and training, rehousing services and more.

Defined by HUD as a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment caused by alcohol or drug abuse, PTSD, or brain injury that is expected to be long-term and impacts the individual’s ability to live independently; a developmental disability; or HIV/AIDS.

Generally, diversion refers to the policy of diverting criminal defendants whose core issues are not criminological into alternative programs to treat root causes rather than sending them to jail.

Safe, immediate alternative to the streets, either in a shelter facility or other location for a short-term, usually for 180 days or fewer.

Refers to a place of temporary accommodations consisting of huts, tents or other nonstandard housing options, often occupied by multiple individuals.

Housing for Health Partnership

Under the Category 1 definition of homelessness in the HEARTH Act, includes individuals and families living in a supervised publicly or privately-operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements, or with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground.

HEAP is a $500 million block grant program designed to provide direct assistance to cities and counties to address the homelessness crisis throughout California. HEAP funds provide services that immediately and directly assist individuals or families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.

HMIS is a local information technology system used to collect data on individual homeless persons or those at risk of homelessness, including any access to services or housing. See also coordinated entry.

Housing First is an approach to addressing homelessness recognizing that housing is the first priority, providing a platform to better address other underlying issues such as employment, life skills, substance use treatment or medical issues.

Moving individuals into housing.

Abbreviation for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A location allowing homeless persons to access showers and clean towels.

People who are, or have, experienced homelessness.

A physical location providing a safe environment allowing homeless persons to access services. May or may not provide shelter beds.

Low-barrier affordable housing with supportive services.

PIT Counts are a measure of the number of homeless people on a specific day. It is considered a “snapshot” of the homeless population.

Programs designed to help individuals and families quickly return to permanent housing after experiencing homelessness.

Individuals who are living in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.

An unaccompanied adult 18 and over in age.

System to access homeless individuals and help allocate limited resources where they are needed most.

Drug addiction is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs.

Housing in which individuals and families experiencing homelessness receive supportive services that enable them to live more independently. Transitional housing can be provided in one structure or several structures at one site, or in multiple structures at scattered sites.

Young people between the ages of 18 and 25 years old who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Children under the age of 18 who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Individuals who are living on the streets, in abandoned buildings, storage structures, vehicles, encampments, or any other place not intended for human habitation.

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program is a new suite of programs designed to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness.