Community by community we will provide much needed homes.
Think about how your home anchors your life: shelter from the elements, plus a place to eat, bathe, restore your spirits at the end of the day, and sleep safely at night. Can you imagine what it would be like to take care of yourself, your health, your family and relationships, and maintain a job without your home? Yet, for many East Bay residents, a safe, comforting place to go at the end of the day is not a given. Housing holds the key to families staying together, and to seniors continuing to thrive. Our Homes Heal Hearts campaign will invest $7M, with the goal of creating 50 homes for families and individuals who are without shelter by 2025.
We are partnering with several faith communities to explore the construction of cottage communities to add more affordable housing in the County. Please see our progress on these projects on our Housing Development Dashboard. These developments are planned from six to twenty-five units. They will consist of studio, 1 or 2-bedroom unit cottages, shared common space, and most importantly, on-site services as consistent with our model of providing permanent housing and support services. Together, we can build bridges from despair to hope by providing affordable, stable homes and supportive services for those who need them most
Our housing development model is aligning resources. These pieces come together to provide permanent supportive housing to break the cycle of homelessness.
Hope Solutions is uniquely positioned to create innovative housing solutions through our deep partnerships with local faith communities. By leveraging unused land and new building techniques, we can bring housing to our community with decreased cost and time. These developments are planned from six to twenty-five units and consist of studio, one or two-bedroom unit cottages, shared common space, and most importantly, on-site services, consistent with our model of providing permanent housing and support services. Please join us in saying “Welcome home!” to our most vulnerable neighbors
Homelessness among seniors is increasing.
In Contra Costa County there was a 38% increase in seniors seeking support services between 2018 and 2021. Seniors are particularly vulnerable and just one health or economic crisis can plunge an older adult into homelessness. Homeless people in their 50s typically display the geriatric difficulties of housed people 20 or even 30 years older.
Racial inequity is prominent in housing insecurity.
Racial inequity is also prominent in housing insecurity. People of color are disproportionately represented in the unhoused population in Contra Costa County. While Black residents make up 9% of Contra Costa’s population, they account for 39% of those using crisis response programs. Similarly, Native Americans are 1% of the population but are 8% of those using services
Over the last 23 years, Hope Solutions has grown to become one of the County’s largest providers of permanent affordable housing and supportive services. We reached 2,100 residents last year, the most in our organization’s history. By weaving together housing and supportive services, we are healing the multi-generational impacts of poverty, racism, trauma, substance use, mental health issues, and inadequate access to healthcare.
We’re confident in our residents’ long-term success: 98% remain housed; 75% maintain or grow their income; and 100% of the children in our enrichment programs were promoted to the next grade level.
The Homes Heal Hearts campaign is Hope Solutions’ bold new initiative to forever change lives and create bright futures. Your invitation is now because the need is now.