CALIFORNIA, November 7 – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the second batch of Round 3 Homekey grants, totaling a $156.4 million investment, which will create 556 homes in six counties. BACS and BACS Housing Corporation are proud to partner with the City of Oakland, Memar Properties, the Cities of Hayward and Union City, and the City of Salinas to create 124 permanent, affordable, neighborhood-oriented housing opportunities to address homelessness. These three communities will see a remarkable impact, and this major funding will be transformative for the residents who are able to escape homelessness. To date, BACS has created permanent housing for more than 300 people through Homekey.
“Homekey continues to demonstrate that we can build quickly, and at a fraction of the usual cost, to deliver much-needed affordable homes for Californians struggling to find a place to live,” said Governor Newsom. “There’s still more work ahead, but the state is taking proactive measures, from implementing accountability standards to offering incentives, to confront this housing crisis head on.”
“BACS shows up for the community, and we innovate. Our housing reclaims neighborhoods by creating and preserving affordable housing where people want to stay,” said Jamie Almanza, MBA, CEO of BACS and BACS Housing. “This major partnership from the state empowers individuals, families, and communities to reclaim their sense of belonging and provides the ability to rebuild their lives which are unfairly impacted by gentrification, structural racism, and deep poverty.”
BACS and BACS Housing Corporation have been awarded funding to invest deeply in three communities:
- The City of Oakland, to support the Imperial Inn site, will receive $15,536,403. BACS Housing is acquiring and rehabilitating this former motel in partnership with Memar Properties to convert the motel into 48 beautiful permanent housing units serving people experiencing homelessness and chronic homelessness, plus one manager unit. BACS will provide supportive services to residents to support long-term stability and a strong neighborhood. BACS has existing programs in this model at Golden Bear Inn and Piedmont Place.
- The Cities of Hayward and Union City, to create unique permanent housing opportunities in single-family homes, nestled in neighborhoods, as part of Project Reclamation, received a conditional award of up to $9,677,000. Funds will help purchase up to seven homes to create 37 units serving households experiencing homelessness. BACS innovated this model in 1973 and the longest-standing resident has lived with us for more than 20 years.
- The City of Salinas, to support Project Reclamation single-family homes, received a conditional award of up to $8,054,000. Funds will help purchase up to eight homes to create 39 units serving households experiencing homelessness.
BACS is proud that all six of our ambitious Homekey proposals across three rounds of funding have been approved. This is unprecedented for BACS and for our community, and we applaud the State of California for taking action and working with BACS to build strong neighborhoods.
“It has been greatly rewarding to see the growth and impact of Homekey on California’s most vulnerable residents,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “To me, the 14,000 homes funded through Homekey represent more than just buildings. They represent real people exiting homelessness more quickly, and the opportunity for housing stability to greatly improve their quality of life.”
See the full Housing and Community Development Department announcement here.
About Bay Area Community Services
Bay Area Community Services (BACS) breaks the mental health, housing, and community barriers that hold people back. BACS’ mission is to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing “whatever it takes.” BACS helps people experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or behavioral health challenges, while balancing other complications like health needs, substance use, generational trauma, incarceration, poverty, and more. Since its founding in 1953, BACS has steadily grown throughout Northern and Central California, integrating nearly seven decades of behavioral health expertise with our Housing First philosophy to meet the rising needs of communities. Learn how to get involved at www.bayareacs.org/ways-to-give
