Mountain View And Nonprofit Partner Lifemoves Awarded State Funding For Emergency Transitional Housing Program

Press release from the City of Mountain View:

September 22, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA RELEASE 09222020-1

(Mountain View, Calif.) — As part of the State’s Project Homekey program to fund rapid housing for homeless and unstably housed people during the COVID-19 emergency, the City of Mountain View and nonprofit partner LifeMoves, one of the largest providers of interim housing and services for people experiencing homelessness in Silicon Valley, were awarded a State grant of approximately $10 Million to purchase a one acre site in Mountain View to rapidly deploy an estimated 28 structures with 100 doors.

Mountain View’s program will be the first of its kind, creating a pathway for the feasibility of the program at multiple sites around the Bay Area with successful implementation.

The Homekey Mountain View site will be centrally located at the 2500 block of Leghorn Street, which is also close to public transportation. “We are hoping to be able to assist more than 300 residents with occupancy before the end of the year,” explained Mountain View Mayor Margaret Abe-Koga. “It is an ambitious housing goal, and Mountain View continues to lead the way. Not to mention, in the true spirit of Silicon Valley, this is a pilot program where success also means that it can be replicated all over the Bay Area to help more people.”

“We are proud to partner with the City of Mountain View on this exciting project and are grateful to the Governor for the award of State funding,” said LifeMoves Board Chair, Joe Stockwell. “This site will allow us to dramatically increase interim housing capacity in our community. And with LifeMoves wraparound case management services, we will be able to rapidly transition clients back to stable housing. This public-private partnership creates a scalable solution to fight homelessness and the effects of the pandemic on this especially vulnerable community — something we need now more than ever.”

With COVID-19 safety, privacy and dignity in mind, the modular structures will provide individual private rooms designed for seniors and families in need. There will be no large indoor spaces, families will have access to their own outdoor areas, and there is expected to be plenty of room for gardening or recreation. Because of the pre-fabricated approach, the housing can be installed at record speed and at a much lower cost than traditional buildings. The facility is planned to be completed by the end of the year.

In addition to the State grant, the City has committed $2.4 Million in funding for the project operations, and is working in coordination with partners and private donors to raise additional funding to ensure the success of the program. Interested donors should contact: city.mgr@mountainview.gov.

This press release was produced by the City of Mountain View. The views expressed here are the author’s own.