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Community Standards for Service Providers

Guiding consistency, quality, and connection across publicly funded programs.

  • A clear north star for service providers
  • More consistent care for people experiencing homelessness
  • Shared accountability across the system
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Our community is setting clear goals across the system.

Across Sacramento County, service providers, public agencies, and community members are working toward a homelessness response system that is more connected, consistent, and effective.

The Community Standards are a foundational step in that effort. Developed collaboratively, these standards create shared goals and expectations for publicly funded homelessness prevention and assistance programs.

These standards help guide services to be more accessible, unified, and aligned with regional goals.

Here's what the Standards cover:

The Community Standards apply to a wide range of program types funded with public dollars: 

  • Homelessness prevention and diversion
  • Street outreach
  • Emergency shelter
  • Transitional and interim housing
  • Rapid rehousing
  • Permanent supportive housing
Each section outlines goals around service delivery, accessibility, staffing, coordination, and outcomes.
View Community Standards

This is how Sacramento created the Community Standards:

Listened to the community and defined expectations

Partners from across the region came together to develop shared standards for homelessness prevention and assistance. The process included research, local listening sessions, and input from more than 30 organizations and individuals with lived experience. Together, they identified what unified, consistent service should look like across program types.

Drafted the standards and gathered feedback

A draft version was released in fall 2023 for public review and comment. Providers, community advocates, and public agencies shared input on clarity, feasibility, and alignment with current practice. This feedback helped shape a final version that reflects both evidence-based guidance and local capacity.

Finalized, implemented, and committed to ongoing improvement

The standards were finalized and adopted with a shared commitment to flexibility and support. Implementation is now underway with training and technical assistance to help providers meet expectations. Sacramento Steps Forward will continue to collaborate with system partners to review and update the standards and will publish regular Community Standards Key Performance Indicator Reports to share progress and promote accountability.

Explore Community Standards training for service providers.

Orientation sessions have been created to help providers understand and apply the standards in their day-to-day work. Recordings are available by program type:

Orientation Session 1: Prevention & Outreach

Orientation Session 2: Shelter & Transitional Housing Programs

Orientation Session 3: Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing

Community Standards – Orientation to Program Reports Presentation

download Orientation presentation

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