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5CHC Programs

5CHC Programs

5Cities Homeless Coalition is transforming the lives of those who are homeless or facing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County.

5Cities Homeless Coalition provides wrap-around services including case management and direct financial assistance – with a special emphasis on housing stability. Our efforts focus on helping the most vulnerable in our community maintain dignity while working toward a new home (or retaining their home). Our work goes beyond the immediate, to ensure that clients have the plan, skill sets, and support needed to be successful and self-sufficient. We are proud to share that more than 90% of those we have helped to house (or prevented from eviction) remain housed more than one-year later.

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5CHC’s housing support program serves clients throughout San Luis Obispo County who are either homeless or facing homelessness. Intensive case management, including financial literacy coaching, is coupled with direct financial assistance. Direct financial support is provided through a progressive engagement model based on the individual need. As clients work their agreed upon plan, funds are then made available to further their goals for self-sufficiency and housing. During this time we work to ensure on-going income sufficient to maintain housing.

Information and Referral – Coordinated Entry

Assistance begins with general information and referral to community services coupled with a comprehensive assessment of needs, identification of barriers and development of an immediate action plan. Those visiting 5CHC’s offices are provided access to computer, internet, phone charging, mailing address, food and hygiene supplies. 5CHC staff serves as a source of knowledge and referral.

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Housing Assistance

The Coalition’s Housing Assistance program serves residents throughout San Luis Obispo County who are currently homeless or at-risk of losing housing. Case management and financial assistance is offered for rent, deposit and immediate needs based on differing criteria of a variety of funding grants. For move-in assistance with deposit and rent, clients must be homeless but there is no income threshold. For rental assistance to prevent homelessness, the clients’ income is a factor in determining eligibility sources.

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SSVF- Supportive Services for Veteran Families

The SSVF program serves veterans who are currently homeless or at risk of losing housing. The program provides temporary assistance and services to help homeless veterans and their families gain housing stability. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Supportive Services for Veterans Families Program, provides funding for this program. This is a joint program of Good Samaritan Shelter and 5Cities Homeless Coalition.

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Warming Center Sign
Warming Center

The 5Cities Homeless Coalition is leading efforts to provide a safe, warm and dry place for homeless adults to find shelter for the night during this winter on nights with predictions of temperatures at or below 38°F, or especially stormy weather (with rain forecast at 50% or greater) November 26 through April 30.

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Immediate Needs

The purpose of this program is to assist homeless and low-income families and individuals in need in the Five Cities area with limited funds to address their immediate needs, and move them to self–sufficiency. Often helping families to overcome a one-time barrier enables them to move toward self-sufficiency, stability in the home, and economic improvement. Examples of assistance include support with utilities, transportation, auto repairs, clothing, and employment readiness.

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Homeless Youth Outreach

5CHC’s homeless youth program matches a case manager with unaccompanied youth (aged 16-24) providing education, connection and services. One-on-one case management helps these youth with immediate needs, housing and development of an individualized Action Plan to help them independent living, steady employment, and continued education.

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Benefits Advocacy - Program discontinued effective February 17, 2023

As of February 17, 2023, 5CHC no longer offers a Benefits Advocacy program. Those seeking guidance and advocacy with obtaining or retaining public benefits such as Cal Fresh, General Assistance, SSI/SSP, RSDI or questions regarding MediCal, are encouraged to reach out to the Department of Social Services: https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Social-Services.aspx. 

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Medical Respite

Working to improve discharge planning and case management with Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, the program serves homeless patients requiring temporary respite care. Program is offered in partnership with Dignity Health, Good Samaritan Shelter, Community Action Partnership San Luis Obispo, and Community Health Centers of the Central Coast.

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Addiction Recovery

For those seeking assistance with drug and alcohol addiction, 5CHC supports client participation in programs with the San Luis Obispo County Drug and Alcohol, and Recovery Point, a social-model detox program located on the campus with Good Samaritan Shelter in Santa Maria. Recovery Point Acute Care is a 12-bed inpatient drug and alcohol detox program that provides 7-14 day acute detoxification. The program provides a safe and protected residential environment for clients suffering from withdrawal symptoms who are unable to build a clean and sober foundation on their own.

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Outreach

5CHC Street Outreach team works with those living on the street and in camps throughout southern San Luis Obispo County to connect them to services and resources including food, transportation, public benefits, identification and family relocation. Our overarching goal is to connect those who are homeless to permanent housing as quickly as possible. Meeting the client “where they’re at,” our work is focused on the development of a case plan that is oriented toward their success in obtaining or maintaining housing, which is predicated by consumer choice and self-determination.

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Cabins for Change - At Night
Temporary Emergency Housing in Grover Beach

Grover Beach, CA – The City of Grover Beach continues to take meaningful action to address homelessness in our community in partnership with other agencies. The construction of the temporary emergency housing on County property at 16th Street and Long Branch Avenue in Grover Beach is complete and the facility opened during the last week of 2022. 

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