Berkeley Receives $4.9 Million to Address Homelessness
June 15, 2023
BERKELEY RECEIVES $4.9 MILLION TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS
BERKELEY, CA - Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that nearly $200 million has been awarded to 23 projects throughout California to assist 7,300 individuals experiencing homelessness move off the streets and into housing. This includes $4.9 million to the City of Berkeley to convert the Super 8 motel on University Avenue into a shelter that will house 72 people. It was the only project in Alameda County awarded through the Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF), and one of nine projects in the Bay Area.
“Homelessness continues to plague communities across the Bay Area, but Berkeley is one of the few that is getting results,” said Mayor Jesse Arreguin. “We are on track to deliver further reductions in our unhoused population, and that’s a result of support and funding like this from the state. This is a statewide problem that requires support from our state leaders, and we are grateful to Governor Newsom for his commitment and leadership on this complex problem.”
The City Council is expected to vote to accept the grant and approve a lease with Insight Housing (previously known as Berkeley Food and Housing Project) at its July 11th meeting. Insight Housing, which has a decades long history of providing homeless services and low income housing throughout the region, will operate the shelter. The City is expected to provide matching funds raised from Measure P to help keep the shelter operating for four years. Measure P is a local ballot measure approved in 2016 that provides around $10 million annually for a wide range of homeless services.
The ERF was established in 2021 to support local jurisdictions and provide shelter and support to people experiencing homelessness in encampments, with the ultimate goal of creating a path to stable housing. To date, the ERF has provided $295 million in grants for 50 projects. This allocation marks the second part of the second round of funding from the ERF. The first round, which was awarded in February 2022, also included $4.7 million to the City of Berkeley to convert the 43 room Rodeway Inn on University Avenue into an interim housing program. This motel had originally been converted to a homeless shelter during the pandemic in 2020 under Project Roomkey. With the ERF funding in 2022, the City, in partnership with UC Berkeley, was able to move and support dozens of people who had previously resided in People’s Park.
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