Unhoused Resident Support

Homelessness and housing instability have wide-ranging negative impacts. Individuals or families who are unhoused, or who are at risk of becoming homeless, are often unable to reach their full potential at home, work, school, or in the community. Homelessness is a symptom of a wide range of challenges. Among the reasons that individuals enter homelessness include chronic mental or physical health issues, fleeing domestic violence, struggles with substance abuse, and previous incarceration. In addition, the shortage of housing and the high cost of available housing in Alameda County increases cases of homelessness and presents a barrier to its prevention. As homelessness grows in the East Bay amid the burgeoning housing crisis, Emeryville is no exception.

Emeryville's Homeless Strategy

In 2018, the City of Emeryville adopted the following Emeryville Homeless Strategy:

  1. Prevent at-risk persons from becoming homeless or returning to homelessness.
  2. Remove barriers to accessing homeless services.
  3. Collaborate across sectors and systems to prevent or reduce homelessness.
  4. Provide Housing services to support homeless individuals.

In 2023, the city re-committed its efforts under this strategy by incorporating the following programs and actions into the 2023-2031 Housing Element:

Program BB. Housing Supportive Services for Homeless and Formerly Homeless

  • Action #1: Provide funding to support a homeless shelter and service providers to provide housing, meals, outreach, and other support services to individuals experiencing homelessness who reside or have resided in Emeryville. 
  • Action #2: Seek innovative partnerships to provide services and emergency shelter to persons experiencing homelessness similar to the private-non-profit-public partnership that allowed the city to use the former City Recreation center as a temporary shelter prior to the site's redevelopment into affordable housing. 
  • Action #3: Encourage developers to set-aside units affordable for the unsheltered population and those with extremely low income.
  • Action #4: Support the countywide efforts to prevent and end homelessness through the Alameda County-wide Homeless Plan.
  • Action #5: Seek partnerships with homeless service providers to provide shelter and services to Emeryville residents experiencing homelessness. 

Program HH. School and Child Care Centers

  • Action #3: The City will partner with Emery Unified School District and homeless service providers to support at-risk families with information regarding local resources, fair housing education, access to legal aid and potential housing opportunities. 

Homeless Service Providers

Operation Dignity

Since 1993, Operation Dignity has worked to house and serve the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in Alameda County, including veterans and people living in encampments. Operation Dignity's approach emphasizes early engagement, prevention-focused coordination, and responsive communication to support family stabilization and reduce barriers to accessing services and housing resources. Operation Dignity has provided services to the City of Emeryville since 2000.

Street Outreach, Engagement & Housing Navigation

Operation Dignity will provide day-to-day field engagement, distribute basic need supplies (water, food, hygiene kits, etc.), assist with documentation support, coordinate transportation, and connect unhoused residents to health care providers, behavioral health resources, substance use treatment, legal assistance, employment support, benefits programs, and other community-based service organizations.  When appropriate, Operation Dignity will connect unhoused residents to Alameda County Housing Resource Center and Coordinated Entry System so individuals are visible within the broader homelessness response system and can be considered available for housing resources county-wide. Operation Dignity will also work with unhoused residents by providing housing search assistance, housing application support, housing stabilization planning, and connection to interim and permanent housing opportunities.  

Housing Navigation & Rapid Rehousing

When appropriate, Operation Dignity will connect unhoused residents to Alameda County Housing Resource Center and Coordinated Entry System so individuals are visible within the broader homelessness response system and can be considered available for housing resources county-wide. Operation Dignity will also work with unhoused residents by providing housing search assistance, housing application support, housing stabilization planning, referrals to financial assistance resources, and connection to emergency shelters, interim and permanent housing opportunities. Operation Dignity will also administer a Rapid Rehousing Program, which is a short-term housing intervention program that provides rental assistance to quickly move people from homelessness into permanent housing. As part of the Rapid Rehousing program, Operation Dignity will provide housing case management, coordinate move-ins, assist in landlord engagement, identify financial assistance resources, and provide on-going retention support for eligible clients to ensure clients are successful after being permanently housed. 

Encampment Engagement

Prior to the City scheduling an encampment cleanup, Operation Dignity will engage unhoused residents on multiple occasions, when possible, to build trust, understand household composition, identify immediate safety needs, and discuss realistic alternatives to remaining unsheltered. Operation Dignity supports residents by explaining available options, timelines, referrals, and next steps in clear and respectful language, which include emergency shelter, interim housing, temporary stabilization options, veteran-specific housing resources when applicable, rapid rehousing, permanent supportive housing, family reunification, benefits access, medical care, behavioral health services, and document readiness. Operation Dignity will be present during an encampment cleanup to ensure the process is safe and respectful, for all parties involved. 

Harm Reduction Support

Operation Dignity understands the disproportionate impact substance use disorder and opioid-related health risks can have on individuals experiencing homelessness, which is why their outreach and housing focused service model incorporates harm reduction and supportive service coordination strategies. Operation Dignity staff may provide overdose prevention education, referrals to substance use and behavioral health resources, distribution of available harm reduction materials, Narcan coordination when available, and linkage to healthcare and recovery-oriented support services based on client needs and willingness to engage in services. Operation Dignity's approach emphasizes nonjudgmental engagement, practical harm reduction strategies, and coordinated referral pathways intended to support long-term stabilization and improved health outcomes for vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness.

To contact Operation Dignity, please call 510-287-8465.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul 

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Alameda County provides essential support to their neighbors who are homeless, housing insecure or living in poverty, by providing food, clothing, access to healthcare, job training assistance and emergency shelter. The City of Emeryville has provided support to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Alameda since 2023. 

Emergency Shelter & Case Management

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Alameda County operates an emergency shelter at 675 23rd Street and 2272 San Pablo Avenue in Oakland from 6pm to 8am every day, in which a number of beds are reserved nightly for unhoused Emeryville residents that are referred to the shelter. Any beds that remain unallocated or accessed by the referral curfew will be filled by walk-ins on a first -come-first serve basis. Guests of the shelter receive a snack and dinner, along with the opportunity to access their stored items. Staff will provide general case management and a vulnerability assessment to all shelter guests including a Coordinated Entry System Assessment, housing navigation services, and connect clients to other resources. 

To contact the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Alameda County, please call 510-638-7600.

Report an Encampment

To report a homeless encampment in Emeryville, visit SeeClickFix.

Emergency Shelters

Emergency Shelters are temporary housing facilities that provide a safe place to sleep, meals and basic necessities. The following emergency shelters are located in North Alameda County:

 Location  Serving  Days/Time Open
Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center
2218 Acton Street, Berkeley
Phone: 510-548-2884
 Women & Children
Only
 Monday, Wednesday & Fridays
9am-1pm
St. Vincent de Paul Shelter

675 23rd Street, Oakland
Phone: 510-638-7600

 Men & Women
(18+)
 7 Days a Week
6pm-8am

 

Links to Homeless Plans and Reports

Point in Time Count
Every two years, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires communities to conduct a Point-in-Time (PIT) Count of individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness and to provide specific data about their demographics and characteristics. The count includes those who are forced to sleep outdoors, in vehicles, tents or makeshift structures as well as a count of people residing in shelters, transitional housing and safe parking programs.

2024 Emeryville Infographic
2024 Alameda County Report
2022 Alameda County Report
2019 Alameda County Report

 

Home Together 2030 Plan
Alameda County unified approach for guiding homelessness policy and funding decisions, it provides a shared roadmap for reducing homelessness, advancing equity, and strengthening the systems and partnerships needed to help more people move from crisis to safe, stable housing.

Alameda County Homeless Plans & Reports