Adult Reentry Grant Program.

Assembly Members Schultz and Quirk-Silva's legislation transfers administration of California's Adult Reentry Grant Program to the Department of Housing and Community Development, establishing a new framework to address housing instability among formerly incarcerated individuals. The measure restructures the existing program, which provides housing assistance and reentry services through competitive grants to community organizations.

Starting July 2026, the department will award five-year renewable grants to regional administrators responsible for coordinating permanent supportive housing and services across geographic areas. These administrators must demonstrate experience managing rental subsidy programs, partnering with housing authorities, and working with behavioral health agencies and homeless continuums of care. The legislation requires administrators to prioritize Housing First principles and coordinate with Medi-Cal managed care plans to connect participants to health services.

The program serves individuals scheduled for release from state prison who lack stable housing plans, as well as those experiencing homelessness within five years of release. Regional administrators must use grant funds for rental subsidies, housing operating costs, landlord incentives, and voluntary support services including case management and employment assistance. The department will track outcomes including housing retention, recidivism rates, and health status through annual reporting requirements.

The bill also requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to implement a pre-release screening process to identify individuals at risk of homelessness. This assessment must occur at least 210 days before scheduled release and includes questions about housing plans without using responses to extend incarceration terms or impose other penalties.