California Construction News staff writer
Homekey program funding totalling $693 million has been announced for 35 projects that will create more than 2,500 new units in 19 communities across the state.
Funded projects:
- City of Fontana: $3.1 million for 14 interim units
- City of Fresno: Four awards totaling $57.9 million for 283 units
- City of Los Angeles: Ten awards totaling $277.3 million for a total of 960 units
- County of Los Angeles: Two awards totaling $24.6 million for a total of 78 units
- City of Long Beach: Two awards totaling $30.6 million for 110 interim units
- City of Newark: $38.1 million for 124 permanent units and one manager unit
- City of Oakland: $5.6 million for 24 interim units and 10 interim youth units
- City of Palo Alto: $26.6 million for 108 interim units
- County of Riverside/Palm Springs: $19.1 million for 70 interim units and 10 interim youth units
- County of San Diego: $11.8 million for 40 permanent units and one manager unit
- San Francisco: Two awards totaling $73.4 million for a total of 221 units
- City of San Jose: $51.6 million for 204 interim units
- County of San Luis Obispo: $568,000 for 3 interim housing youth units
- City of Santa Rosa: Two awards totaling $24.7 million for 91 units
- Sonoma County: $6.3 million for 21 permanent units and one manager unit
- City of Stockton: $4.1 million for 14 permanent units and one manager unit
- City of Thousand Oaks: $26.7 million for 77 permanent units and one manager unit
- County of Ventura: $5.9 million for 27 interim youth units
- City of West Hollywood: $6 million for 20 interim units and one manager unit
“With 12,500 new homes funded in just two years, Homekey is changing lives across the state,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
“Homekey’s groundbreaking success is a model for the nation, showing that we can make real progress on ending homelessness in months, not years. In partnership with cities and counties like Los Angeles, we’ll continue to safely house Californians in need faster and more cost-effectively than ever.”
The new funding announcement came on Homekey’s two-year anniversary at a volunteer workday for a Los Angeles project, where Newsom an Mayor Eric Garcetti assisted in assembling welcome kits as part of the site’s move-in preparations.
The Los Angeles region has to date received $948 million for 62 Homekey projects that will create 4,034 units of housing.
“Homekey is more than just another tool in our toolbox in the work to end homelessness – it’s an opportunity for thousands to start anew, and an injection of pride and dignity that can keep Angelenos off the street for good,” said Garcetti. “Thanks to this latest infusion of funds, hundreds of people experiencing homelessness today will be offered the stability of a permanent home, the safety of a door with a lock, and the services they need to get back on their feet.”
Homekey has become a national model for how to quickly deploy emergency funds to meet the diverse needs of rural, suburban, urban and tribal communities working to expand homeless housing. Building on the program’s success, the state budget signed by the Governor this year invests an additional $150 million, bringing total Homekey funding to $3.75 billion.
Newsom also announced $47 million in housing grants to create more residential care options for seniors and adults with disabilities, including people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. These grants are the first to be awarded through the new Community Care Expansion (CCE) – Capital Expansions Grants Program administered by the California Department of Social Services to help address historic gaps in the state’s behavioral health and long-term care continuum.
“State and local collaboration has been key throughout these two years, and we must continue to use Homekey as a model to accelerate production and affirmatively further fair housing,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez
