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Santa Clara County
Heart, Hope, Housing
For over 45 years, we have walked beside people experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County—meeting them where they are, honoring their unique journey, and providing the support they need to find a place to call home.
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Santa Clara County Programs
Our Impact in Santa Clara County
In 2025, we showed up for our community. For Veterans sleeping in their cars, families at risk of homelessness, and individuals who had nowhere else to turn.
4,362
Families Supported
725,000
Meals Made and Served
815
People Moved to Permanent Housing
365,515
Nights of Safe Sleep
Prevention Programs
We are part of the county-wide Homelessness Prevention System which operates in collaboration with community partners. By providing temporary financial assistance and case management, we can provide people experiencing homelessness with the housing support they need preventing at-risk households from experiencing the trauma of entering into homelessness.
Rapid Rehousing
Quickly rehousing people experiencing homelessness by providing housing navigation and support can reduce the harm of long-term homelessness. This program provides people with short-term rental assistance and increases self-sufficiency through case management—helping people stabilize their living situation and staying housed.
Outreach
Our outreach teams visit encampments and other locations where people are living outside, going person-to-person, offering case management, resources, and connection to services. They ensure people living outside are safe during inclement weather, natural disasters, and public health emergencies. They build trust and develop key relationships that facilitate the transition to safe shelter.
Interim Housing
We opened one of the first interim housing “tiny home” communities in California. Program participants receive 24/7 onsite support including meals, laundry, showers, skill-building workshops, case management, and housing navigation.
Emergency Shelter
We operate several congregate shelters across Santa Clara County. This includes the region's largest 230-bed shelter, and seasonal shelters that support individuals and families. They provide a safe, warm bed, showers, laundry, meals, and access to self-sufficiency workshops.
Permanent Supportive Housing
Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) is an evidence-based housing program that gives people experiencing chronic homelessness—especially older adults and those with disabilities—a stable home and the support they need to stay housed. We provide supportive services across the county at numerous housing sites.
Affordable Housing
These apartment complexes provide affordable housing to young adults and families who have either experienced homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.
Resident Services
HomeFirst partners with the Santa Clara County Housing Authority to provide resources, educational opportunities, and community engagement for residents who live at affordable housing properties throughout the county.
Veteran Programs
HomeFirst has piloted several key programs for Veterans that are now the national standard of care. Our work with Veterans and their families includes homelessness prevention, outreach, interim housing, and rapid rehousing.