California's Project Homekey has been a boon for homelessness support services as well as the economic and living conditions on a corridor in Fresno known as Motel Drive.
Melissa Montalvo reports on the local impacts in Fresno of a state program to convert unused hotel units into housing units for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic:
State-funding efforts to shelter unhoused residents in converted motels could be a game-changer for Motel Drive, an area of Fresno that city leaders say has long been overrun by drugs, human trafficking, and prostitution.
Specifically,
Local city leaders say Project Homekey has been a success in Fresno, providing shelter for about 1,500 people over the past 18 months. Not only have the funds helped shelter the city’s unhoused residents, but they also provided the opportunity to invest in the transformation of Motel Drive, said Councilmember Miguel Arias in an interview with The Bee.
Councilmember Arias goes on to explain that Project Homekey gave Fresno the resources needed to clean up the corridor. The city used $35 million allotted by Project Homekey to buy four motels on the corridor. Funding from the Federal CARES Act provided resources for additional acquisitions.
More details about the facilities and services enabled by the state and federal funding are included in the source article. The article comes with the caveat that the programs are still inadequate to the task of mitigating the ongoing affordable housing crisis, both in Fresno and the rest of the state and nation.
FULL STORY: Inside one city’s multimillion-dollar effort to convert motels into affordable housing
Fewer People Experiencing Homelessness in San Francisco
In a first since 2015, the number of people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco declined from the year prior, according to preliminary analysis of the city’s most recent Point-in-Time count.
$425 Million in Rent Relief Never Reached Those in Need
A damning investigation reveals the immense financial resources that states could have spent on rent relief but failed to do so, whether willfully or not.
Trump Decision to Bail on Federal Stimulus Pushes Music Venues Over the Brink
Public transit, employment, homelessness, foreclosures—all hang in the balance as the federal government falters with a proposed economic recovery package. So does the prospect of going to a show after the pandemic.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research