Our Guiding Principles &
Best Practices

Housing First: Our participants are housed immediately without any preconditions; once housed we work on stabilization by addressing the issues that led them to homelessness (E.g., participant does not need to be housing ready).

Harm Reduction: We focus on addressing the consequences of unhealthy behavior, until the participant is ready to address the behavior itself (E.G., needle exchange).

Low Barrier: At our interim and emergency shelter site we eliminate as many requirements as we can to ease entry (E.g., entrance does not require sobriety). Low barrier does not mean no rules.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC): an overarching structure and treatment attitude that emphasizes understanding, compassion, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma

Santa Clara County

Site Based Services

An image of the intrance to the James F. Boccardo Regional Reception Center

Emergency Shelters (ES)

HomeFirst operates two year-round shelters. These congregate living facilities, which together serve hundreds of adults nightly, provide unhoused individuals with a place to sleep and shower, three meals daily, and access to an array of supportive services.

Interim Housing

Our interim housing sites, which take the form of tiny homes or converted hotels/motels, provide safe and secure transitional housing to adults. Residents have access to on-site case managers, other supportive services, and the resources they need to build a lifestyle of self-sufficiency.

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Permanent Housing

HomeFirst owns and manages two affordable housing complexes. These sites provide individuals and families that have experienced homelessness or are at risk of homelessness with a safe and affordable place to live. HomeFirst is also proud to offer case management at additional Permanent Housing Sites throughout SCC.

Veteran Services

HomeFirst offers the most comprehensive services for homeless veterans in the County, including mental health counseling, employment placement, emergency shelter, interim housing, and support for families of veterans who are at risk of homelessness.

Inclement Weather Programs

During the winter, HomeFirst runs a seasonal shelter and Overnight Warming Locations. During summer heat advisories, we operate cooling stations. These programs are critical, as those living outside are vulnerable to extreme weather.

Outreach

Every day, our Outreach Team distributes essential supplies and information to unhoused individuals living in encampments in San Jose. The team resolves issues that prevent individuals from being housed and takes action during natural disasters and public health emergencies.

TRUST - Trusted Response Urgent Support Team

TRUST is a partnership between three social service agencies in Santa Clara County: Momentum, Pacific Clinics, and HomeFirst. This community service helps SCC residents during urgent situations that involve mental health or substance use. Our call center and field response teams are available 24/7.

TAY - Transition Aged Youth

We offer on-site case management to transition aged youth (TAY), ages 18 to 25, that have housing vouchers and live in permanent supportive housing. These individuals have faced significant hurdles, which have prevented them from maintaining stable housing, and they have experienced at least one year of homelessness.

Rapid Rehousing (RRH)

HomeFirst's Rapid Rehousing Programs (RRH) offer time-limited rental assistance and other services designed to support people with housing navigation and stabilization needs.

Homeless Prevention

HomeFirst's Homeless Prevention Services Program (HPS) is a time- and money-limited program for low-income people in Santa Clara County that are at risk of homelessness. The financial help that the program provides is tailored to each qualifying household and its particular needs.