The City has a long history of allocating funding to social service programs in two broad categories: (1) City initiated social service programs that are funded to address identified social needs (e.g. Homeless Emergency Winter Shelter Program and Therapeutic Recreation Services); and (2) To support worthy social programs that were not City initiated, but provide benefits to City residents. For decades under the City Manager form of government, the City Council - through various Council Representatives - initiated social service funding recommendations prior to bringing forward the adoption of the Social Services Program Budget to the City Council. This practice was last utilized in FY 2002. The City Council then directed the City Manager to develop a formal selection process that was successfully utilized in Fiscal Years 2003 through 2005.

While the process established by the City in 2002 is still being used, since that time the program has experienced sharp reductions in funding that resulted in the elimination of the competitive process in Fiscal Year 2006. Subsequently, each year program staff has given the highest funding priority to the "City-Initiated Programs", before providing support to the other programs being considered. The fiscal reality of the Program is that funding has been decreasing each year.

Fiscal Year 2009 federal funding (Community Development Block Grants, Emergency Shelter Grants) for the Social Services Program has decreased by $89,979 from the current fiscal year. However, the San Diego Housing Commission will be providing the City with an additional $580,000 in one-time funding to support the Cortez Hill Family Center and the Homeless Emergency Winter Shelter Program in FY 2009. The additional funds will offset the reduction in federal funds. For the first time, full funding for the Homeless Emergency Winter Shelter Program is being proposed under the FY 2009 Social Services Program. No projects are being recommended for reduction in funding for FY 2009.

The FY 2009 Social Services Program funding allocations were adopted by City Council on May 6, 2008 and can be viewed at the Social Services Funded Projects page. Funding is available from Community Development Block Grants, Emergency Shelter Grants, and the San Diego Housing Commission.

It should be noted that the funds from the San Diego Housing Commission are contingent upon approvals by the Housing Commission Board and the Housing Authority.

The City's Economic Development Division, of the City Planning & Community Investment Department, oversees the contractual agreements with nonprofit agencies for those programs approved for funding. The Grant Compliance Unit of the division is primarily responsible for contract negotiations, program and fiscal monitoring, and the provision of technical assistance to the service providers.