June 10, 2020 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Tuesday released the following statement on the awarding of federal funds for cities and counties to support Americans experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic. The funding for the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) was included by Congress as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

            “Providing housing and social services for homeless Californians was a top priority before the coronavirus and it is even more important during this pandemic.  I’m pleased that HUD is allocating the funds that Congress passed to provide much-needed help for the homeless populations. We must do everything we can to prevent the spread of this disease among an already vulnerable group.

            “I worked with my colleagues to make sure Congress included funds in coronavirus relief legislation to support homeless individuals and I’ve written to the administration to make sure those funds were released swiftly.

            “States and localities have shouldered the burden of this pandemic and have had to spend considerable amounts of money to address it. These grants will help them continue providing critical public services despite future budget shortfalls.”

            Senator Feinstein previously called on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to expedite the allocation of these funds. At the time of her letter, less than 1 percent of the funds Congress appropriated to address homelessness had been made available.

            California will receive a total of $831 million in federal funds. A breakdown of cities receiving funds is available below.