Why is the City buying a motel?
The City believes the best answer to homelessness is housing. In partnership with Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), the City is purchasing motels as part of our Housing First homelessness strategy. The units will be used as bridge housing initially and will provide privacy and dignity in housing while also offering the stability needed for residents to access the necessary support and medical services needed to begin their path out of homelessness.
NOTE: More detailed information about the City’s strategy can be found in the Motel Conversions Memo to Council
Who will operate these properties?
The City will own the property and is partnering with ECHO, the lead agency for the Continuum of Care, to operate the motel as bridge housing and coordinate the provision of comprehensive on-site services.
What is the funding source purchase and operate these properties?
The City is relying on two primary funding sources to purchase these properties: 1) the use of certificates of obligation, and 2) funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant.
ECHO will secure private investments to fund the operation, maintenance, and on-site services.
What services will be provided on-site?
ECHO will arrange for and coordinate on-site support services such as, behavioral health services, onsite healthcare services, education and job training, housing assistance, and case management services. The operation and service teams at the sites will work together to help ensure the sites are run smoothly and that the building provides safe, clean, affordable housing for the tenants residing in it. The safety and security of the residents and surrounding community is a priority for ECHO and their partner agencies.
How do people experiencing homelessness access these units?
ECHO will review referrals for the units from:
- Coordinated Entry System
- Encampment Strategy
- Hospital discharges (acute respite needs)
- Criminal justice system
What factors does the City consider when selecting a motel?
In partnership with ECHO, several factors are taken into consideration, including but not limited to:
- Location, such as adjacency to public transportation, health services, and other amenities
- Number of units
- Availability of other on-site facilities such as laundry rooms and offices
- Physical and economic feasibility to convert to bridge housing
- Acquisition and renovation costs
- Environmental factors
- Relocation support
What involvement will surrounding neighborhoods have to share their concerns?
The City and ECHO will attend neighborhood and community meetings to discuss concerns with area residents. ECHO staff and on-site service providers will work with neighbors and City departments to ensure that neighborhood concerns are addressed.
How can the surrounding neighborhoods’ safety be assured?
As a starting point, ECHO will require on-site staff and security to be available 24/7 to address on-site issues and minimize disruptive behavior, walk-ins will not be allowed, loitering in the immediate area will be discouraged, and the facility and immediate area will be cleaned frequently.
What is the long-term plan for these properties?
Initially, the units on these properties serve as bridge housing which is short-term housing that provides safe and dignified place for persons experiencing homelessness to reside while awaiting placement in a permanent housing solution including permanent supportive housing and rapid re-housing. The use of bridge housing is intended to get our most vulnerable residents off the streets and out of encampments and on their way to a permanent housing solution as quickly as possible.
Over time, the bridge housing units could be converted to Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units complete with kitchenettes. PSH is a subset of affordable housing that provides tenants with the rights of tenancy, privacy and security, and links to intensive supportive services. Tenants of PSH typically have limited incomes and, to retain housing, their living arrangements must be affordable. A goal is that tenants pay no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent and basic utilities (excluding phone, cable, and internet).