Newsom Announces $16M Project Homekey Grant To Turn Redwood City Hotel Into Supportive Housing
REDWOOD CITY (CBS SF) – San Mateo County is receiving a $16 million Project Homekey grant from Gov. Gavin Newsom to convert a Redwood City hotel into supportive housing for the homeless.
County officials said Friday that the money will be used to purchase the Comfort Inn & Suites, a 51-unit building at 1818 El Camino Real. Funds will also be used to add kitchenettes to the rooms and to operate the new facility.
Once open, residents will also receive on-site services, including education, employment, mental health rehabilitation and medical assistance.
"Every homeless individual in San Mateo County who wants shelter deserves the opportunity to receive it and these funds provide an amazing opportunity to do that, County Manager Mike Callagy said in a statement. "These funds create real and lasting change in the lives of those they help and bring us one step closer to reaching functional zero homelessness."
Newsom's office this week also announced a $15 million Project Homekey grant for supportive housing in Marin County.
"California continues to lead the charge housing thousands of individuals across the state," Newsom said earlier this week. "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."
Officials said San Mateo County has received $117 million in Homekey grants so far, which have been used to buy and repurpose hotels and other buildings to provide long-term housing for the unsheltered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other properties in San Mateo County purchased through the program include the Pacific Inn in Redwood City, the TownePlace Suites Hotel in Redwood Shores and the Stone Villa inn in San Mateo. Grant money is also being used to construct and operate a navigation center east of Highway 101 in Redwood City.
Along with the $16 million grant, the city council in Redwood City is considering spending $1.3 million in unspent federal funds towards the project. The council is expected to consider the proposal on Monday.