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California Blueprint proposes $2 billion for total $14 billion homelessness package that will create 55,000 new housing units and treatment slots in the coming years
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced more than $31 million in funding for two Homekey projects in Marin County and San Mateo County. The new projects will provide 94 housing units for people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing homelessness. With today’s announcement, California has awarded more than $350 million to 16 Homekey projects creating more than 1,300 housing units for Californians most in need.
“California continues to lead the charge housing thousands of individuals across the state,” said Governor Newsom. “Last year, Homekey provided over 6,000 new permanent housing units and today we continue that groundbreaking progress through new projects in Marin and San Mateo Counties.”
“Quality homeless housing projects don’t just pop up overnight – it takes a coordinated effort between the state and local jurisdictions to focus on the greater good of providing housing for those most in need,” Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez said. “It’s heartening to see all parties step up to the plate to make real progress in solving our housing crisis.”
“When the work is complete on these two projects, the state will see an additional 94 units of housing for people most in need,” said Department of Housing and Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez. “These units are long term units that are critically needed to move people along the spectrum from unhoused to housed with the needed support along the way.”
Today’s awards include the following projects:
- The County of Marin has been awarded nearly $15.5 million to acquire and rehabilitate a former skilled nursing facility that has been vacant for six years. This project will offer 43 units of permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless. Supportive services include behavioral health, physical health, education and employment, food security, healthy aging, and legal assistance services. The project is also centrally located near transportation, a health facility and a pharmacy.
- The County of San Mateo has been awarded nearly $16 million to acquire a former hotel and transition it into 51 units of permanent housing for the homeless and the chronically homeless. Services provided will include basic needs assistance, education, employment, financial benefits, housing maintenance, mental health rehabilitation, medical assistance, and transportation services. The project is also centrally located near transportation, a grocery store and pharmacy, a library and a health facility.
Additional Homekey awards will be announced in the coming weeks. Completed applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted or May 2, 2022, whichever comes first. For more information, please visit the Homekey webpage. The Department of Housing and Community Development has also created the Homekey Awards Dashboard where Californians can track Homekey project awards by dollar totals, project type, progress, and region. The dashboard is updated in real time as additional projects are approved.