Housing, Outreach and Mobile Engagement (HOME)

The Housing, Outreach, and Mobile Engagement (HOME) program provides outreach and housing support services to people throughout Humboldt County.

Referrals to HOME come from staff at Behavioral Health, Social Services and the CalWORKs program. Anyone interested in a referral to HOME should discuss eligibility with their Behavioral Health, Social Services or CalWORKs support staff.

HOME does not have access to emergency housing such as motel vouchers. Eligible individuals and families sign their own lease or rental agreement with a landlord.

HOME’s street outreach and mobile outreach services engage people with mental health disabilities who are experiencing long-term homelessness and support them in obtaining housing including:

• Enrollment in the Homeless Management Information System database and coordinated entry system 
• Assistance obtaining an ID and birth certificate
• Support accessing mental health services 
• Assistance signing up with appropriate waiting lists such as affordable housing projects and the Housing Authority Section 8 list. 

Once the necessary items are in place, staff assists eligible clients to complete rental applications and interview with potential landlords.

Mobile outreach staff engage with people by meeting them in the community and bringing DHHS services and community-based service referrals to the furthest corners of Humboldt.

The housing support services staff works with clients and families to secure and maintain affordable rental units in their name. Staff also works to engage and maintain positive relationships with landlords and property managers and works with community partners to support clients’ housing needs. Once a client obtains housing, services may include:

• Periodic check-ins
• Life skills coaching
• Good habit coaching focusing on maintain housing unit cleanliness, avoiding lease violations and being a good neighbor
• Coordinating service needs such as counseling, medical appointments, food bank assistance and In-Home Supportive Services.

The Housing Support Program (HSP) is intended to foster housing stability for CalWORKs families at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. Using a rapid rehousing model to assist CalWORKs families in obtaining permanent housing, the HSP provides temporary shelter, help with moving costs, short to medium-term rental subsidies and wraparound case management. Homelessness prevention services are offered to CalWORKs families at-risk of homelessness to help them regain stability in their current housing or move and achieve stability in a new housing location.

The Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) assists people who have a disability to apply for disability benefit programs who have a disability and are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. It also provides housing support. HDAP offers outreach, case management, benefits advocacy and housing support to all program participants.

The Bringing Families Home Program (BFH) is intended to foster housing stability for families involved in Child Welfare Services (CWS) that are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Using a rapid rehousing model to assist CWS families in obtaining permanent housing, BFH can provide temporary shelter, help with moving costs, short to medium-term rental subsidies and wraparound case management. Homelessness-prevention services are offered to families at risk of homelessness to help them regain stability in their current housing or move and achieve stability in a new housing location.