New California Housing and Homelessness Agency Created

This month marks the start of the California Housing and Homelessness Agency (CHHA), a new cabinet-level agency designed to bring coordination, focus, and accountability to the state’s civil rights, affordable housing and homelessness systems. California will now have a cabinet‑level agency devoted to housing and homelessness, a structural change intended to lock in long‑term focus, accountability, and urgency around the state’s most pressing challenges. 

The new California Housing and Homelessness Agency will coordinate and shape the state’s work across civil rights, affordable housing, homelessness, and homeownership, including the Civil Rights Department (CRD), California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH), and the new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC). 

The intent is that through more targeted leadership structure, the state will improve alignment between affordable housing production and financing, streamline approvals and compliance, strengthen accountability and enforcement, accelerate homelessness solutions statewide, and ensure that civil rights protections are upheld consistently across programs and communities. 

More information is available at housing.ca.gov.