Current homelessness prevention and intervention systems often overlook the unique needs of older adults. In many localities, including Marin County, available support tracks like rapid rehousing are not financially sustainable for older people living on fixed incomes. This results in a lack of relevant prevention services, prolonged homelessness and an overall lack of equitable outcomes for older adults. Front Porch, a nonprofit leader in aging services, is partnering with LeadingAge California and the UC Berkeley Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services (UC Berkeley CASAS) to better understand these gaps and explore how systems—particularly Continuums of Care (CoCs)—can improve outcomes for aging populations. The ultimate goal is to use data-informed insights to influence policy and system design changes at both state and national levels. 

 

1.      Research and document the current structure of homelessness prevention and intervention programs within selected CoCs, focusing on data collection and reporting related to outcomes for older adults. 

2.      Engage 5–7 California CoCs (e.g., San Diego, LA, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara, Marin, and a rural county such as Butte) to request and analyze HMIS data disaggregated by age. Also engage a range of national CoCs (New York, LA, Chicago, Alameda, King, Multnomah, Davidson, Fulton, Miami-Dade, etc.) to facilitate comparative analysis with California CoCs. 

3.      Conduct comparative analysis of trends in efficacy of prevention interventions for older people, time spent in coordinated entry, rates of resolution for older people within differing service models, and eligibility disparities for older adults. 

4.      Interview service providers across California (or nationally) who support older adults who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness to capture qualitative insights on gaps and barriers. 

5.      Benchmark local, state and national efforts in older adult homelessness policy and service delivery across major urban and rural regions. 

6.      Develop a set of strategic recommendations—including data collection standards, policy advocacy priorities, and tailored service models—for influencing HUD and state-level responses to older adult homelessness.