IN EARLY MARCH, Antioch City Councilmember Tamisha Torres-Walker posted a video on Facebook announcing how the Antioch Inn & Suites — formally the Comfort Inn at 2436 Mahogany Way — will be the new Homekey+ location to provide living space for the unhoused and to support public safety.
The posting was great news for many who had been watching for a solution to the city’s unhoused to be approved in January, only to have the property owners (DJ Hospitality Group) rescind their offer two weeks later. The owner previously did not want to commit to something that wasn’t a permanent or long-term solution.
“The owner didn’t want to make a commitment to the voucher program that couldn’t be continued if rewarded with the Homekey+ award,” City Councilmember Louie Rocha explained.
Homekey+ is a California state program providing permanent housing for vulnerable residents.
The city of Antioch had been working to acquire the Antioch Inn & Suites via a motel voucher program that DJ Hospitality was willing to offer up $50,000 worth of emergency rooms. This offer would have worked in conjunction with the Antioch voucher program, administered by the housing authorities of Contra Costa County. However, to receive the Homekey+ reward, the property needed to be empty so it couldn’t be turned into permanent housing for those in need.
The push for a permanent solution
Antioch has the highest population of unhoused residents in Contra Costa County. This has made the push for a permanent solution more pressing. However, “due to budget constraints, the city can’t offer a shelter of its own, and the county has no plans to bring a warming center to the area,” The Contra Costa Pulse reported.
“We can make sure that the Comfort Inn is empty and vacant and ready for turnover when we receive the Homekey+ award,” Torres-Walker said in an interview with Contra Costa Youth Journalism.
Another concern in getting individuals into long-term housing sooner rather than later is mental health wellness. With safe, affordable housing and supportive services to address behavioral health challenges, California’s most vulnerable residents will have the foundation they need to thrive.
With $2.2 billion in funding allocated from the passage of Proposition 1, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) will expand on the success of its Homekey+ program to help support the development of permanent supportive housing for veterans and individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness and mental health or substance use challenges.
The Homekey+ application is in the process of being finalized, and no update has been given that specifically states it was rewarded, but the city is working toward it.
“Antioch has yet another shot at Homekey+ – $34.9 million in state funding to address this issue,” Torres-Walker said. “Why wouldn’t we consider the long-term benefits of this possible award when we are already spending millions annually?
“No more excuses; it is time to start bringing people in off the streets so that businesses can thrive and our most vulnerable residents can have the kind of quality of life they deserve,” she added.
Jayden Mckenzie is an 11th grader at Deer Valley High School in Antioch and a CCYJ reporter. This story originally appeared in CCSpin.