Los Angeles County's commitment to addressing the homelessness crisis has been further solidified with a recent infusion of $37.2 million in Homekey 3.0 grants. This funding will facilitate the development of 113 apartments in Exposition Park, Hollywood, and Lancaster, designed specifically for those facing homelessness, namely youth and young adults, as detailed on the County's website. Additionally, LA County has received a total of $74.7 million in Homekey grants, fueling multiple projects for affordable housing throughout six Californian counties, according to Hoodline.
These newfound Homekey 3.0 grants enable the creation of 55 temporary housing units for young adults, and 58 permanent houses equipped with supportive services for the older population or those with physical or behavioral health conditions. This brings the LA County's tally of Homekey projects to 28, culminating in a comprehensive 1,700 units, as the LA County Homeless Initiative affirms.
Central in these initiatives, LA County will join hands with Wellnest Emotional Health & Wellness for the establishment of The Nest at Exhibition Park, housing 25 young adults transitioning from foster care or juvenile probation utilizing modular construction. LA County will further collaborate with Covenant House to transform the Hollywood Downtowner Motel into 30 temporary homes for homeless young adults. All residents will be provided with holistic services, including mental health support, as per the County's website.
Inching toward the city's rim, Lancaster is home to LA County's partnership with Hope the Mission to refurbish three hotels into 58 units of permanent supportive housing (PSH) along Sierra Highway. Given the shortage of project-based vouchers for this venture, LA County responded with a unique approach—joining up with local managed care health plans, L.A. Care, and Health Net—thus enabling the usage of tenant-based vouchers, as disclosed the LA County Homeless Initiative website.
Other key recipients of the Homekey grants include Hope the Mission and Covenant House California, bagging $19,789,357 and $9,762,000 respectively for interim housing. Nest On Exposition LLC and Wellnest Emotional Health & Wellness secure $7,681,400 for creating 24 temporary units. Lastly, Topanga Canyon Housing Partners LP is set to roll out 24 permanent units with a fund of $5,432,319, as per a Hoodline report.
Since its formation in 2020, Homekey has housed thousands of individuals, channeling over $156.4 million toward the cause. Housing stability can greatly upgrade the living conditions for California's most vulnerable citizens, as echoed by HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. With roughly $400 million funds still at disposal, and applications regularly examined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), allocations will continue to unfold.
