Abode to Provide Housing, Services in Solano County

At their meeting on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, the Solano County Board of Supervisors approved a multi-year contract for homeless and housing services with Abode Services – one of the Bay Area’s largest providers of housing and services for those experiencing homelessness.

Abode will provide street outreach, housing navigation, landlord engagement, subsidy administration, rapid rehousing, forensic respite, and permanent supportive housing services to individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges in Solano County. Abode’s work in the county will run from November 2023 through June 30, 2026.

“Abode Services is excited to partner with Solano County to bring an expanded set of services and housing opportunities to people experiencing homelessness,” said Abode Services Chief Operating Officer Vivian Wan. “Building on shared values that promote the dignity of all unhoused and housed residents and sparking each other strengths, we are eager to work with the community to support and ultimately find sustainable homes for people experiencing homelessness.”

Solano will be the seventh Bay Area county in which Abode provides housing and services to help the region’s most vulnerable people and strengthen its communities. Abode currently serves more than 15,000 people each year across the counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo, Napa, and Santa Cruz.

Abode uses the Housing First approach, which has proven to be far more successful at reducing homelessness than past, traditional strategies. Housing First finds that once a formerly homeless individual has a roof over their head, the services that follow are much effective at helping that person gain and keep their home.

“We know that housing is treatment and people who are housed have significantly better health outcomes,” said Emery Cowan, Chief Deputy Behavioral Health Director for Solano County Behavioral Health. “This contract – which will bolster current outreach engagement efforts and support increased housing, subsidies, engagement, and individualized supports – is a major commitment and investment that will positively impact our entire community.”

In the past few years, Solano Behavioral Health has successfully received grants and non-competitive allocations for housing and homeless services to support the needs of those with the most significant mental health and substance use challenges, who often also experience the highest rates of poverty, incarceration, trauma, homelessness, and crisis. This contract will support as many as 800 people per year through six new funding sources, in addition to Medi-Cal reimbursement. Furthermore, the funds will increase housing by providing opportunities to nearly 200 households annually through respite, permanent housing, and rapid rehousing.