SACRAMENTO – On Oct 10, Governor Gavin Newsom announced multiple new efforts to address homelessness and provided an update on the state’s work to deliver more than 1,200 small homes to communities throughout California.

The announcements advance the Administration’s multipronged and multi-billion dollar approach, using every tool available, to address the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness, including moving people in need of assistance off the streets and into housing.

 “The state’s homelessness crisis has been decades in the making. While there’s more work to be done, we are challenging the status quo with new, innovative solutions to get Californians off the streets and into housing,” said Governor Newsom. 

Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), this latest $179.7 million in grants for Homekey will create 710 units through nine developments in Fresno, Los Angeles, Modesto, Sacramento, San Buenaventura, San Diego and Visalia.

This announcement builds upon a $736 million investment to address homelessness statewide through the acquisition and construction of interim and permanent homeless housing. With this additional round of funding, total Homekey units have expanded to 13,484 homes throughout the state.

Additionally, the largest delivery of small homes in state history continues to gain momentum. Since an announcement earlier this year by Governor Newsom to purchase 1,200 small homes, the Administration has made significant progress in working with local governments to deliver these units throughout the state.

The state and the local partners have moved quickly to select site locations, request bids, sign contracts and pass trailer bill legislation to advance these projects by giving the California Department of General Services contracting and streamlining flexibility. In July, Governor Newsom signed a trailer bill cutting red tape on procurement and construction for these small homes. And just this month, the Newsom Administration is finalizing a contract for the state and locals to purchase these small homes – a contract available for these 1,200 units but also available as a template for any other local government in California that wants to use their own funds to buy these housing solutions.