BY MARIJKE ROWLAND
CV Journalism Collaborative
As California continues to grapple with its ongoing homelessness crisis, San Joaquin County has been awarded nearly $30 million in state funding to create housing for Valley residents in need.
Late last month, the county received $15 million through the California Department of Health Care Services’ Behavioral Health Bridge Housing grant program. The money comes on the heels of $14.3 million awarded last year to county Behavioral Health Services for transitional housing through the same program.
The Bridge Housing program, which was passed into law in 2022, provides nearly $1 billion in state funding to county behavioral health agencies and tribal entities to operate housing for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental health issues.
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“(W)e could not be more proud of (Behavioral Health Services’) continued efforts to pursue funding opportunities that creatively combat this pervasive situation,” said San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Miguel Villapudua.
In San Joaquin County, the new $15 million grant will be used to add roughly 67-beds to its continuum of care for people with mental health conditions who may also have substance use disorders and are at-risk of or are homeless.
The county has not acquired a property for the housing project yet, and is still seeking additional funding to be able to complete the work. The plan is to renovate an existing structure, according to county Behavioral Health Services director Genevieve Valentine. The county does not have a projected date for completing the project yet, but the Bridge Housing grant must be used by 2027.
The county, in partnership with Central Valley Low Income Housing Corporation and the County’s Whole Person Care team, will use the remainder of the grant money to expand its services to an additional 300 people per year.
The county has already begun to deploy last year’s $14.3 million Bridge Housing grant. The funding has gone toward the purchase and renovation of Satellite Apartments, a 30-unit complex.
The project, a partnership between the county’s Housing Authority and Behavioral Services agencies, will become permanent supportive housing for people ordered into treatment through the county’s upcoming CARE Courts program. Renovations will add another 24 units to the site and are expected to be completed in 18 to 24 months.
San Joaquin County will launch its new judicial division for mental health cases aimed at curbing homelessness this December, along with much of the rest of the state.
The remainder of the $14.3 million Bridge Housing grant is being used for homeless outreach and engagement activities, rental assistance, housing navigation and assistance for transportation/laundry and other essential needs.
The county’s Behavioral Health and Housing Authority have partnered on projects aimed at curbing homelessness in recent years, including the 49-unit Victory Gardens for homeless veterans, 37-unit Sonora Square for people experiencing homelessness and mental health issues, and the upcoming 50-bed Park Center Apartments, which broke ground earlier this year.
