The Strategic Action Plan
The Strategic Action Plan
The Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC) Strategic Action Plan provides a community-wide roadmap to reduce homelessness and strengthen the homeless system of care throughout Kern County. Developed through collaboration with local governments, service providers, healthcare partners, people with lived experience, and community stakeholders, the plan focuses on creating lasting solutions that prevent homelessness, improve access to services, and expand permanent housing opportunities.
The Strategic Action Plan is built around three core goals:
1. Reduce Inflow
Strengthen prevention and diversion efforts to help individuals and families remain housed, improve economic stability, support successful transitions from institutions, and increase awareness of available resources.
2. Strengthen Support
Expand outreach, improve access to healthcare and behavioral health services, enhance emergency shelter and interim housing options, and use data to improve coordination and service delivery across the homeless response system.
3. Increase Outflow
Increase access to affordable and permanent housing, expand Rapid Re-Housing and Permanent Supportive Housing opportunities, strengthen landlord engagement, and provide aftercare services to help individuals and families maintain long-term housing stability.
Together, these strategies aim to reduce the number of people entering homelessness, improve outcomes for those experiencing homelessness, and help more Kern County residents achieve and maintain permanent housing.
2026 Strategic Action Plan Update
First-time homelessness decreased by 6.1%, moving the community closer to its 2029 prevention target.
Households served through prevention programs increased by 66.7%, helping more residents remain safely housed.
Diversion services increased by 338%, connecting households to housing alternatives before they entered homelessness.
Permanent housing outcomes improved, with street outreach exits to permanent housing increasing by 128.6% and emergency shelter exits to permanent housing increasing by 18.7%.
Unsheltered homelessness decreased by 15.9%, exceeding the annual reduction target.
Permanent Supportive Housing inventory grew by 146 units, while interim, transitional, and bridge housing increased by 35%.
Access to healthcare improved, with nearly a 10% increase in homeless individuals enrolled in Medi-Cal.
System improvements continue, including development of public-facing performance dashboards, expanded case management, and stronger coordination among housing and service providers.
You can download and review the full plan document here .