Care First Community Coalition (CFCC) Calls for Housing Options

ICJJ
Jul 10
2 min read

In February 2025, the CFCC met with Michelle Starratt, the Alameda County director of housing; she provided insight into the current housing situation, the lack of it, the need for it, and the many people in the county who are experiencing homelessness.

The Care First Community Coalition is an alliance of social and racial justice-oriented community organizations, advocacy groups, and impacted community members, committed to reducing the number of people with behavioral health needs being incarcerated. CFCC considers housing as the priority issue for implementing the county’s Care First, Jails Last (CFJL) resolution. (For more on CFJL, see the February 2025 issue of the ICJJ newsletter.)

CFJL seeks to prevent and reduce homelessness through programs like the Home Together Plan (“increase medical and mental health respite by 300 beds and include resources for rehousing. Stabilize and expand the board and care portfolio through new state funding and land trust.”)

Housing is also important when it comes to diversion for people with mental health and substance use problems, and it is needed for the re-entry of people who have been involved with the justice system.

Our coalition will continue to speak up about the urgency of the need for housing, with special focus on the county’s plan to start using the Measure W funds designated for this purpose. CFCC priorities include:

Prioritization of permanent, high-support housing for people with behavioral health needs and people who have contact with the judicial system.
Licensed housing, board and care homes with quality care.
Re-entry housing with case management.
Housing that helps to prevent legal system involvement.
Housing spaces for people in diversion and the collaborative courts.
Housing connected to discharge after First Episode Psychosis.

We look forward to the possibility of improving conditions as the County begins to make good use of the millions of dollars provided by Measure W.