Tuesday, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors authorized the
Public Defender to accept Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding in the amount of $220,000 through a contract with Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF) for provision of an expungement clinic.
Evidence-based studies have found a person’s criminal record creates significant barriers to a person’s ability to have housing, employment, education and social services. The clinic aims to eliminate barriers to exiting homelessness.
"The Sacramento County Public Defender's Office is excited to create a program that will benefit the community, increase public safety, decrease county costs and help improve the lives of some of our most underserved people in our community," said Public Defender, Tiffanie Synnott.
With the creation of the Expungement Clinic, the Public Defender’s Office hopes to eliminate barriers to exiting homelessness and develop opportunities for housing, employment, education and social services. The development of an Expungement Clinic was created from a collaboration of HEAP and CESH (California Emergency Solutions and Housing) partners and input from the community.
The office's goal is to process 80 applications a month for expungements and/or help clean records for the duration of the contract, which begins Jan. 1, 2019 and runs through Jun. 30, 2021.