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On Tuesday, the Concord City Council approved spending $1.5 million to expand homeless outreach and behavior health response within the City of Concord.
The item was approved 5-0 in the consent calendar which is for a 3-year contract not to exceed $1.49 million — a three person team.
$473,225 for FY2026-27
$496,886 for FY2027-28
$521,731 for FY2028-29
The move comes as since 2017, Concord has partnered with Contra Costa County to Coordinated Outreach, Referral, and Engagement (CORE) services within the community. By 2021, Concord transitioned to a full‑time, two‑member CORE team dedicated exclusively to serving Concord. Later that year, in November 2021, the City further strengthened its outreach capacity by adding a third team member, a Care Coordinator, responsible for providing case management services to unsheltered residents.
The Concord-specific CORE team has achieved the following results over the past three full years of service:
January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023: The team engaged in 4,043 contacts, of which 929 were unduplicated. One-hundred one (101) individuals were transitioned from the streets into emergency shelter. Thirty (30) individuals were transitioned from the streets into permanent housing. Thirty-three (33) individuals were transitioned from the streets into short-term housing.
January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024: The team engaged in 2,525 contacts, of which 698 were unduplicated. Eighty-four (84) individuals were transitioned from the streets into emergency shelter. Sixty-four (64) individuals were transitioned from the streets into permanent housing. Thirteen (13) individuals were transitioned from the streets into short-term housing.
January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025: The team engaged in 1,406 contacts, of which 455 were unduplicated. Ninety-two (92) individuals were transitioned from the streets into emergency shelter. Twenty-four (24) individuals were transitioned from the streets into permanent housing. Seven (7) individuals were transitioned from the streets into short-term housing.
According to the city staff report, the 51% decline in unduplicated contacts made by the Concord-specific CORE team from 2023 to 2025 reflects the broader reduction in homelessness within Concord. Each year, Contra Costa County conducts a point‑in‑time (PIT) count of unsheltered individuals. In 2023, the count identified 241 unsheltered individuals in Concord. That number fell to 173 in 2024 and then to 131 in 2025, representing a 45% decrease in unsheltered residents in Concord since 2023
Previously, the City developed a comprehensive Homeless Strategic Plan and made a one‑time investment of $5 million to fund nonprofit partners responsible for carrying out key strategies in the plan. These organizations provide a wide range of services from rapid rehousing to mobile health care and food distribution. In addition to this one‑time investment, the City contributes more than $1 million annually to other housing and homeless‑service partners that deliver essential supports such as food, health care, outreach, and temporary and permanent shelter
Note – prior to the vote, County Health provided a presentation related to CORE in the City of Concord.
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