Davis Receives Grant to Address Homelessness

DAVIS, CA -- The City of Davis will receive $233,000 from Sutter Health to increase permanent supportive housing for its chronically homeless population under a Memorandum of Understanding recently approved by the City Council.

The funds will be used to support Davis Pathways, a program that aligns private and public funding and resources to support no-or-low barrier access to housing – a proven best practice in ending homelessness.

“The City of Davis is committed to creating long-term housing solutions for our chronically homeless,” Mayor Robb Davis said. “By partnering with Sutter Health, our city is able to secure additional resources needed to jump start an innovative program that allows us to work with local landlords and service providers to permanently house the most vulnerable individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in Davis.”

Davis Pathways will serve an estimated 45 individuals over three years. While elements of Davis Pathways have been in place for several months, the matching grant from Sutter Health provides the funding needed to incorporate job training, bridge rental assistance, and supportive services. Other Davis Pathways partners include Housing Authority of the County of Yolo (Yolo Housing), Yolo County, nonprofit and faith based groups and business partners.

“Every day we see growing numbers of homeless in our region, and see the toll homelessness takes on individuals and our communities,” Sutter Health Valley Area President James Conforti said. “At Sutter Health, are working to create a regional data-driven response to chronic homelessness by working with government, businesses and service providers to support projects that offer low and no barrier housing options for the most vulnerable populations, like the Davis Pathways program.”

The matching grant is one of several community investments that Sutter Health is making to address chronic homelessness. The Placer County Board of Supervisors took a similar action to receive a $1 million matching grant that will be used to purchase housing units and fund rental subsidies for the chronically homeless. In September, Sutter Health also provided a $400,000 matching grant to the City of Sacramento to ensure the Salvation Army homeless shelter could transition from a night shelter to a 24/7 shelter.

Image via City of Davis