homeless

Oakland – The City of Oakland sent a press release to provide more background on the funds Eliane Brown secured for her housing project. Oakland reports that as part of its Project Homekey Initiative, the State of California has awarded the City of Oakland nearly $17.5 million of Project Homekey funding for two innovative housing projects that when complete, will offer 104 units of housing for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, including those recently released from incarceration.

The Inn at Temescal is a 22-unit hotel located at the corner of MacArthur Blvd. and Telegraph Avenue. Near to downtown Oakland, The Inn is close to BART and other service amenities, making for an accessible residential area.

Using a combination of City funds and Homekey grant funds from the State Housing & Community Development Department, community-based organization Operation Dignity and for-profit developer Danco Communities have entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement to acquire the property. This project will expand affordable housing opportunities and provide direct services to residents. Operation Dignity will lease the units to homeless individuals, working with them to secure longin partnership with the Oakland Housing Authority and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Sponsor team plans to acquire the site by the middle of December 2020. The Inn at Temescal is service-enriched housing for currently homeless veterans that will provide 21 units for residents, and one unit for a service manager.

392 Franklin St. is an 82-unit SRO (Single Room Occupancy) hotel that will provide housing for individuals recently released from nearby jails and prisons who are most impacted by COVID-19 and are at extraordinary risk of homelessness. BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency) will act as the service provider and work in collaboration with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to house those rapidly released due to overcrowding and the escalating spread of Coronavirus in the State’s prison facilities.

The City will partner the funds from Homekey Project with Oakland & The World Enterprises, Inc. (OAW), a local nonprofit organization, McCormak Baron Salazr, Memar Properties, Inc., and FPI Management to acquire the property.

“With these two projects, Oakland just created more than 100 new units of housing for our unsheltered residents, and with a special priority to take care of our American heroes — our veterans,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “Our City staff works tirelessly to end homelessness in our streets, and I’m grateful for Gov. Newsom’s leadership and his partnership, as we all work together to urgently address this crisis.”

“These two projects are excellent examples of how state and local funding merge with projects rooted in community organization to support sustainable solutions for combating the homeless crisis.” said Shola Olatoye, Housing & Community Development Director for the City.

Both projects will be complete and open to welcome residents in early 2021.