California has failed to timely distribute federal funding to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the homeless population. A new state audit finds the Department of Housing and Community Development was slow to provide local entities with access to these funds provided by the CARES Act. The federal government provided $316-million to prevent, prepare for and respond to the pandemic for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Most local entities had to wait seven months to gain access to the first round of funding and eleven months to get the second, larger round of funding. State Auditor Elaine Howle says the state may not be able to use all the money to shelter and house the homeless before the September 2022 federal deadline.
