San Joaquin County since July 1, 2019 has authorized spending $72.6 million in a bid to dramatically expand programs to reduce homelessness.
The Board of Supervisors recently authorized $21.8 million of that total for local shelters, homeless veterans, and permanent supportive housing. Since the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the County has so far approved $72,650,636.49 in total for emergency shelter beds, transitional shelter, street outreach, supportive services, permanent supportive housing, and rapid re-housing, with additional funding expected sometime next month.
Over the past two years, the County has helped 18,632 unduplicated individuals get off the streets and into temporary or permanent living conditions.
In 2019, the Board of Supervisors directed all County departments to establish homelessness as an operational priority. It is estimated that on any given night there are 2,500 individuals experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County.
“Homelessness is a tremendously complex, multi-faceted issue that impacts a majority of our County and must be treated with urgency, care, and compassion,” said San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Tom Patti. “This humanitarian crisis requires an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ approach from our County Departments working closely with dozens of local community-based organizations to address issues like housing, health care, behavioral health, job training, nutrition, public health and safety, encampment response, and a multitude of support services. Myself and others will continue to push for an Emergency Shelter with the support services needed to create a pathway forward for those living unsheltered.”
Over the past two years, $50.8 million was dedicated to projects such as:
*Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: motel vouchers
*Project Roomkey: emergency shelter and housing placements
*Whole Person Care: case management and service coordination
*Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) & Housing Plus: supportive housing for individuals living with HIV/AIDS
*Multiple Federal and State grant programs providing shelter, permanent housing, and services
*Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)/Allies: Street outreach, care coordination, services
*Homeward Bound: Respite Center with 16 shelter beds for those with substance use disorder and Progressive Housing with 75 transitional beds
Permanent Supportive Housing: 115 units, Crossway Residences: 39 units, Zettie Miller’s Haven: 20 units, Anchor Village: 11 units, Crane’s Landing: 8 units, Sonora Square: 37 units, Encampment Response Team
Funding allocated since the start of the 2021 – 2022 fiscal year in July ($21.84 million) will provide 788 emergency shelter beds and supportive services throughout the County for a grand total of 1,537 additional beds by the end of 2025, as well as up to 200 new permanent supportive housing units. Funded projects include:
*180 beds at Stockton Shelter for the Homeless (Spring 2022)
*64 beds at the Tracy Shelter (Spring 2022)
*16 beds at the SJC Behavioral Health Services Shelter in French Camp (Fall 2022)
*100 beds at the Lodi Shelter (December 2022)
*250 beds at the Manteca Shelter (Summer 2023)
*178 beds at the Gospel Center Rescue Mission in Stockton (2025)
*Landlord incentives to provide housing to homeless veterans
*Project Homekey match funding for up to 200 permanent supportive housing units
A resident from permanent housing funded Crossway Apartments noted, “For a few years, I was homeless on and off. I was working but struggling to make ends meet,” said Mariah Mattes. “When my caseworker at mental health in Stockton told me about the application for housing through behavioral health, with her and some loved ones, I applied. On December 7, 2020, I was the first person to sign a lease at Crossway Apartments and made the transition from being homeless to, for the first time, living on my own. It was seamless. Living here at Crossway, I’ve made amazing friends who’ve helped me out and I now no longer have to worry about a roof over my head because here they work with you, and they care about tenants’ safety and well-being.”
