New Independent Report Highlights Successes of Home Safe Program 

The University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) recently released a new report, Evaluation of the Home Safe Program 2022-2025. The report, which was conducted at the request of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), examines how Home Safe operates across counties, reviews the achievements of the program, documents key accomplishments, and offers recommendations and considerations for policymakers. 

Home Safe was launched as a pilot program in 2018 with a $15 million investment to support county Adult Protective Services (APS) agencies in serving older and dependent adults who are experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness through targeted, stabilizing interventions. Subsequent state budget investments in 2021 and 2022 expanded the program statewide to all 58 counties, and the Budget Act of 2025 included an additional one-time appropriation to allow counties to continue or expand their Home Safe programs. 

The BHHI report highlights the significant progress counties have made through Home Safe in strengthening local response systems and improving outreach and housing outcomes for older adults and people with disabilities facing housing instability. The program has helped break down silos between APS and homeless services providers and has filled critical gaps for individuals who have been unable to access other housing and homeless assistance programs. Notably, Home Safe participants achieved higher housing attainment and retention rates than statewide averages throughout the study period. The report identifies flexible funding and counties’ ability to tailor programs to local needs as key drivers of Home Safe’s success. 

The full report , as well as a summary of the key findings and recommendations, can be found at the UCSF BHHI website.