California auditors raised concerns on the homeless housing department for its role as a statewide leader in addressing the homelessness crisis, citing it failed to properly allocate millions in COVID-19 pandemic funding.    A state audit of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (CDHCD) released Aug. 24 found $316 million in federal funding received through the CARES Act failed to be expedited to address and respond to the state’s homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic.    “The department did not take critical steps to ensure that the $316 million in ESG‑CV (Emergency Solutions Grant) funds promptly benefited the vulnerable population for which it was intended,” state auditors said.   “Its lack of efforts to measure the outcomes of the programs to which it provides funding raise serious concerns about its ability to provide the leadership the State needs to address its ongoing homelessness crisis.”    There were an estimated 161,548 homeless people living …