Homeless Services in Salinas

Meet our Street Outreach and Response Team

Homeless Services in Salinas

In the City of Salinas, the City Council has shown strong leadership by taking on an active role in advocating for implementation of best practices to end homelessness throughout the region. City funding has been directed to programs known to work such as street outreach, emergency shelter, homeless prevention, housing navigation, and rapid rehousing. In addition, City Council has approved millions in funding for affordable housing projects. When the Monterey and San Benito Counties Continuum of Care (CoC) Emergency Solutions Grant (State ESG) allocation administered through the California Housing and Community Development (HCD) was almost lost, City Council authorized staff to administer the grant program for San Benito and Monterey Counties. The City is the only Administrative Entity (AE) in the State administering State ESG funds.

Homeless Services Information Line:

(831) 775-4269

About the Street Outreach and Response Team (SORT)

Mission

The Salinas Outreach and Response Team (SORT) mission is to promote the health and safety of unhoused residents of the City of Salinas by providing essential emergency services through outreach, referrals, and service coordination

Values

· Implement best practices (Housing First, trauma-informed care, and motivational interviewing).

· Provide wraparound services while actively encouraging shelter/housing.

· Effective engagement by actively locating, identifying, and building relationships with unsheltered residents through motivational interviewing and trauma-informed methods.

· Provide linkage and referrals to supportive programs such as transportation services.

Goals

SORT’s goal is to connect the unhoused residents to resources through housing pathways, education, and referrals to other service providers who offer Rapid Rehousing and Stabilization Support. Outreach workers and Peer Leaders, represent the homeless service provider network in the Salinas, Monterey, and San Benito Continuum of Care (CoC).

What We Do

The City of Salinas Outreach and Response Team (SORT) engages the City of Salinas unhoused population through outreach to build trust and rapport with the unhoused community. The team includes a collaboration with Peer Leaders with lived homeless experience which is necessary to reach individuals who are hesitant to work with service providers.

Homeless Services Information Line:

(831) 775-4269

Homeless Services in Salinas News

Welcome Home, Mr. Roberts!

Robert (a.k.a., "Mr. Roberts") has been homeless in the City of Salinas since 2015. The Salinas Outreach and Response Team (SORT) began engaging with Mr. Roberts in 2021, building rapport. In September 2022, he requested support and since then, Mr. Roberts has received intensive case management services from SORT. Several community providers worked together to achieve what felt like the impossible due to complex needs. Thanks to the lead efforts of the SORT team,...
Find Out More
A COMMUNITY OF HELPING HANDS

Mary connected with the Salinas Outreach and Response Team (SORT) and received coordinated support to connect with service providers who provided case management, housing navigation, rapid rehousing, and mental health services. Thanks to the ongoing support from SORT, Mary has now moved into a 2-bedroom unit in Monterey County! Mary’s story shows us that it takes a community of helping hands to help individuals facing homelessness get back on their feet.

A special thank...
Find Out More
All Hands on Deck to End Homelessness in Salinas

On Friday, August 5, 2022, Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez and Senator Anna Caballero met with city, county & nonprofit organizations to learn how the $4.1 million dollars awarded to the City of Salinas, through the Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) Program, will be used to expand outreach efforts to unhoused individuals living in encampments. Funding through this program focuses on ensuring the wellness and safety of people experiencing homelessness in encampments. The program also supports innovative...
Find Out More