The city of Lancaster will benefit from approximately $182 million in state funding to support the building of 516 affordable homes, Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s office announced.
The money comes from Round 3 of Homekey awards, which will fund nine housing projects in five communities across the state. A total of 613 new affordable homes are expected to be completed as a result of the funding, and more than a third of those units will be reserved for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
“Homekey continues to be one of California’s most successful efforts to rapidly create housing for people struggling with homelessness,” Newsom said in a statement. “Through this innovative approach, we have funded over 14,600 homes in communities all across the state.”
Of the $182 million, Lancaster will receive $27 million.
Originally launched months into the COVID-19 pandemic as an extension of Project Roomkey to curb the spread of disease among Californians in congregate shelters, Homekey funds additional building types and supports a broader population of people either homeless or at risk for homelessness. This includes young people transitioning to adulthood from foster care or an unsafe environment.
“Homekey continues to serve as a model for communities across the nation confronting the crisis of homelessness,” Gustavo Velasquez, director of the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, said in a statement. “Born out of necessity in a time of crisis, Homekey has evolved our thinking of how to most effectively and quickly create quality housing to support Californians in a life lived off the streets and connected to critical services that help ensure lasting stability,” he added.
Homekey Round 3 grant funding is available to local public entities, such as cities, counties, tribes and housing authorities to develop a broad range of housing. On Nov. 15, the HCD added $114 million in supplemental funding to the initial pool of $736 million, adding more funding opportunities for eligible applicants. Approximately $513 million remains in Homekey grants, and the state will continue to review applications and award funding on a rolling basis until all funds are exhausted.
L.A. County officials, in partnership with Hope the Mission, will receive $27.6 million for the Lancaster Pathway Home project, bringing 102 studio housing units online. They will receive another $28.6 million for the Knight’s Inn Palmdale project, aimed at creating 100 housing units.
“These Homekey projects will provide critical housing and support services to people experiencing homelessness in the Antelope Valley and will expand our capacity to do so in a compassionate and comprehensive manner,” said L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the Fifth District, which includes Lancaster and other parts of the Antelope Valley.
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Ma says
One way to assert that citizens get full transparency of funds use, is as citizens to demand and pass laws where cities, counties need to post every single penny they spent on the project to make sure that it was used exactly for the purposes said in this article. Show full transparency so that there’s no mismanagement of these funds. We you want receipts and pictures. Hold our elected officials and cities accountable for our tax dollars.
AV Observer says
Let’s hope the money doesn’t get funneled into one of Rexx’s no bid projects for one of his friends like what happened with Kensington. What a misuse of $31 million dollars that was. Only 140 beds when we could have had a 700 bed facility in the old county building on I. The only problem was they couldn’t figure out a way to get the money to the good old boys.
Tim Scott says
Lancaster will receive 27 million, Wrecks and his crew will skim off probably 20 million, and the rest will be wasted on some project that will run out of money before it’s completed.
MARS says
Mmmm…Does This Mean The Steets Will Still Be Bumpy..
People for the Ethical Treatment of People says
Spot on Tim. Just like what happened with Kensington.