Oakland's Homelessness Strategy

PATH Framework

In 2019 the City of Oakland updated the five year strategy to address homelessness

Oakland's Five Year Framework (PATH) to Address Homelessness(PDF, 1MB)

The PATH Framework:

  • Provides a framework for addressing homelessness across the full spectrum of services from prevention and intervention to solutions/housing;
  • Clearly identifies the scale and scope of the investments needed to make substantial change in the current crisis;
  • Seeks to align all stakeholders on the importance of investing across the spectrum of services and in setting ambitious measurable goals; and
  • Points to the absolute need to increase revenues
  • Informs policy makers about what to advocate for from federal, state, county, and private funding partners.

The PATH Framework is grounded in the following values:

  • Racial equity must be central to every homelessness intervention, as African American Oaklanders suffer disproportionately.
  • Housing is the solution to homelessness and, as a result, every emergency intervention or bed should have a robust housing exit attached.
  • Compassion and basic health and hygiene are critical for providing human dignity even when housing is not available.
  • Interventions must balance the needs of both sheltered and unsheltered communities.
  • Regional alignment and partnerships both private/ public and across governments are critical to success.

PATH Framework Presentation(PDF, 653KB)
This presentation was presented at the December 14th, 2019 Life Enrichment Committee meeting and provides an overview of Oakland's Five Year Framework (PATH) to Address Homelessness

Oakland PATH Framework Glossary(PDF, 1001KB)
This glossary accompanies the Oakland Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) framework

Oakland PATH Framework Staff Report(PDF, 581KB)
This staff report accompanies the Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) framework that was presented at the December 14, 2019 Life Enrichment Committee meeting

PIT Data & Report

Every two years, during the last ten days of January, communities across the country conduct comprehensive counts of the local population experiencing homelessness in order to measure the prevalence of homelessness in each community.

The Point-in-Time Count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), but more importantly also informs local strategic planning, investment, capacity building, and advocacy campaigns to prevent and end homelessness.

2019 Oakland Point In Time Count Summary(PDF, 160KB)
This two-page summary highlights the findings from the 2019 Point in Time count

2019 Oakland Point In Time Count Comprehensive Report(PDF, 2MB)
The 2019 Homeless Count and Survey consisted of four primary components: (1) the general street count, an observation-based enumeration of unsheltered persons between the hours of approximately 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.; (2) the youth count, a targeted enumeration of unsheltered youth under the age of 24 between the hours of approximately 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; (3) the sheltered count, an enumeration of persons residing in emergency shelter, safe haven, and transitional housing facilities the night before the general street count; and (4) the survey, an in-person survey of a randomized sample of unsheltered and sheltered persons conducted by trained peer surveyors and program staff in the weeks following the general street count.

Find out how to support people experiencing homelessness during COVID.

The Permanent Access to Housing (PATH) Framework is the City's updated five year approach to address homelessness in Oakland. The PATH Framework organizes strategies to address homelessness under three major themes:

  1. Prevention strategies to keep people from becoming homeless
  2. Emergency strategies to shelter and rehouse households and improve health and safety on the street
  3. Creation of affordable, extremely low income and permanent supportive housing units prioritized for households experiencing homelessness.
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