FAQs
Orange County United Way and its partners launched United to End Homelessness in 2018 to bring together service providers and community leaders across the business, philanthropic, faith-based, nonprofit, and government sectors.
Our goal is simple—help end homelessness in Orange County in a humane and dignified way by connecting people to long-term housing and supportive services. By 2030, we aim to help ensure everyone in Orange County has a safe, affordable place to call home.
Homelessness can be defined in several ways. Most commonly, people are considered to be experiencing homelessness if they are staying in a shelter, living in transitional housing, or sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation (such as a car or outdoors).
In some cases, people may be considered at risk of homelessness if they are living in a motel or temporarily staying with family or friends because they have nowhere else to go.
Source: CDC, “Homelessness and Health”
The Falling Through the Safety Net Study by the County of Orange Office of Care Coordination found that people most often fall into homelessness due to financial instability, loss of support networks, and systemic barriers. The leading driver is financial stress: rent and living costs can far exceed income, even for people who are working. Many also experience the sudden loss of a temporary place to stay with family or friends, leaving them without an informal safety net. System gaps, such as limited rental assistance, strict eligibility rules, and a severe shortage of affordable housing, can prevent people from getting help in time, turning short-term crises into homelessness.
The UCI Homelessness Cost Study found that the top factors people reported were: 1) securing or keeping jobs with sustainable wages (40%), 2) finding or keeping affordable housing (36%), and 3) family issues such as domestic violence, family conflict, or the death of a family member (28%). In many cases, more than one factor was involved. The longer someone remains unsheltered, the more likely they are to develop serious health conditions, disabilities, or substance use disorders that can contribute to chronic homelessness. That’s why it’s important to have a system that can connect people to housing as quickly as possible.
Solving homelessness requires a comprehensive approach that combines prevention with direct response. We must address systemic issues that push people from their homes, such as a lack of affordable housing, inadequate income supports, and limited access to healthcare. At the same time, communities need a strong, well-funded response system that provides immediate shelter, supportive services, and clear pathways to permanent housing for people currently experiencing homelessness.
One proven solution is permanent supportive housing (PSH), which provides long-term housing paired with supportive services.
Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness, “Overview: How can we solve homelessness?”
The UCI Homelessness Cost Study found that most people experiencing homelessness in Orange County are long-time residents—68% reported living in the county for more than 10 years, 90% are U.S. citizens, and about half are age 50 or older.
Homelessness is not evenly distributed across Orange County, and it tends to be more visible in certain areas, including the Central Service Planning Area (SPA).
The Central SPA consistently has the highest number of people experiencing homelessness, followed by the North and then the South SPA. This pattern reflects practical realities rather than preference. People often stay near places where services, transit, employment opportunities, and community connections already exist.
Homelessness exists countywide, but it may look different in each region. In some areas it’s more visible (encampments or people in public spaces). In others it’s more hidden, such as families staying temporarily with others, living in vehicles, or moving frequently between short-term situations.
No city is immune to homelessness. When the cost of living remains high and people face serious health conditions or disabilities, homelessness can happen anywhere across the county.
For more information, view the County’s most recent Point In Time Count report.
Chronic homelessness generally refers to people who have been continuously homeless for a year or more, or who have experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years that total at least 12 months, and who have a diagnosed disability.
Source: HUD Exchange, “Defining Chronically Homeless Final Rule”
This can include a chronic physical illness or disability, a developmental disability, cognitive impairments resulting from brain injury, or a mental health diagnosis such as PTSD or schizophrenia.
No. Supportive housing refers to permanent housing (such as private apartments or supportive housing developments) paired with ongoing supportive services to help people remain stably housed.
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development, “People Experiencing Homelessness”
Permanent supportive housing (PSH) provides long-term housing for people who have experienced chronic homelessness and includes wraparound supportive services to help them stay housed.
PSH is commonly aligned with a Housing First approach, meaning people are offered housing without preconditions and can access supportive services based on their needs.
The UCI Homelessness Cost Study found that supportive housing can reduce public costs significantly compared to leaving people on the streets, with the largest savings associated with housing people experiencing chronic homelessness. In other words, supportive housing can be both more humane and more cost-effective than relying on repeated crisis responses.
There is no evidence suggesting that rates of complaints, evictions, or arrests among people living in permanent supportive housing are higher than in the general population. With supportive services for tenants and program support for landlords, property owners and managers may also have more resources to address concerns than they typically have with other tenants.
There are several ways to get involved in ending homelessness in Orange County:
- Follow United to End Homelessness on social media and share trusted information.
- Contact your city leaders and ask how your community is increasing supportive housing and homelessness solutions.
- Learn more about our Housing Champions Advocacy Network.