Salinas awarded $9.2 million to buy motel for conversion to housing for homeless
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) The City of Salinas has been awarded $9.2 million as part of its Homekey program.
The money will be used to buy a motel that will be converted to interim housing for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness within 30 days. It will be converted to permanent supportive housing in its second year.
According to the state, Salinas is home to about a third of Monterey County's population, but the city accounts for nearly half of its homeless population.
On Sept. 15, the Salinas City Council unanimously voted in favor of pursuing an "Exclusive Negotiating Rights Agreement" to buy the Good Nite Inn on Work Street to use it for transitional housing and supportive housing for the chronically homeless.
"It is a real impressive program that will have wrap-around services and put them back into the workforce and into more stable living situations,"
Salinas council member Steve McShane told KION in September.
The motel has 103 rooms. Two of the rooms will be used for on-site property managers, and the rest will be used for the homeless population.
“Behind every allocation we make for Homekey is the story of a Californian who will no longer have to sleep in a tent, in a car or on the street,” said Governor Newsom. “The partnerships with local leaders and their innovative approaches to homeless solutions are inspiring. From helping victims of domestic violence, to LGBTQ youth, to seniors, we’ve seen bold proposals that help a cross section of Californians struggling to find permanent housing.”
The project is one of 12 around the state announced in the fourth round of awards Friday. Nearly $600 million in awards have been issued so far since the project began.
