Today, the City of Mountain View, the County of Santa Clara, and nonprofit affordable housing developer Jamboree Housing Corporation celebrated an innovative partnership that aims to address homelessness on a local level. The initiative focuses on the conversion of the Crestview Hotel into permanent, affordable, and supportive housing for unhoused, at-risk individuals and families living in Mountain View, California. The project will benefit young people aging out of the foster care system, as well as other individuals and families on the verge of homelessness. This creative and compassionate solution sets the stage for other cities to follow suit.
According to the Mountain View City press release, the Crestview Hotel is set to be transformed into 49 affordable and supportive housing units. The project will offer on-site services and programming for residents, directly addressing their needs. This ambitious collaboration initially began in September 2021, when several public and private partners in Santa Clara County sought Homekey Round 2 Funding for the development of deeply affordable and interim housing initiatives, including the Crestview Hotel conversion. Additionally, the Crestview project is one of over 50 initiatives financed in part by the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond, which serves as a catalyst for affordable housing to support the lowest-income and most vulnerable residents.
Mountain View Mayor Alison Hicks praised the city's efforts to provide affordable housing for families and foster youth, stating, "Converting the Crestview Hotel into permanent affordable housing for at-risk families and youth demonstrates Mountain View’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis." Acknowledging the importance of regional collaboration, she further emphasized that Mountain View is "proud to partner with the County of Santa Clara and Jamboree in bringing compassionate, innovative solutions that can reduce homelessness in Mountain View and the region."
Besides the Crestview Hotel, Mountain View is advancing eight other affordable housing projects, demonstrating the city's commitment to providing safe, secure, and affordable housing options for those in need. Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who is also a strong advocate for addressing homelessness, applauded the collaborative effort, emphasizing the necessity of partnerships: "This is too big a challenge for any community to address alone,” Simitian said. “Nonprofit partners are essential to making sure everyone has a safe place to lay their head at night."
Of course, teamwork is at the heart of this project. According to Jamboree President Laura Archuleta, "Our partners in the County of Santa Clara and the City of Mountain View moved in lockstep to get us to this moment." Archuleta cited the importance of leveraging the State of California's Homekey program and close collaboration with the City and the County’s Office of Supportive Housing in moving this project forward.
The real strength of the new Crestview housing development lies in its provision of wrap-around services. The facility will offer tailored services, such as case management, life skills education, financial empowerment, and opportunities for social connections and meaningful activities. These services aim to create a nurturing and inclusive environment, providing residents with a fresh start and the tools to build a brighter future.
Since the project's inception in 2021, both the City and the County have conducted extensive community outreach. Consuelo Hernandez, Director of the County's Office of Supportive Housing, highlighted the importance of collaboration: "The County’s success would not be possible without strong partnerships and a strategic vision to leverage unique funding opportunities to rapidly develop interim and permanent housing solutions." Locally, efforts are guided by the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness, which includes a comprehensive approach to increase homelessness prevention, expanding shelter capacity by 35%, and accelerating affordable and supportive housing projects.
