County of Santa Clara Awarded $25.7 Million to Build Temporary Housing for Families Experiencing Homelessness
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. — The County of Santa Clara has been awarded a $25.7 million grant for a collaborative project with nonprofit LifeMoves to construct 30 units of temporary housing in the city of Santa Clara that will accommodate up to 120 people experiencing homelessness.
The project, called the Santa Clara Family Community, will provide emergency interim housing for vulnerable families and is a key part of the region’s broader commitment to preventing and ending homelessness.
The grant for the project comes from Round 3 of the State of California’s Homekey program, which provides direct funding to local public entities, including cities and counties, for the development of various kinds of housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
“I am heartened by this investment to lift up families in the city of Santa Clara who are experiencing homelessness,” said Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, whose District 4 includes the city. “It affirms that our values as a State, County and City are aligned for the benefit of our shared communities, even during a time when resources are shrinking. This investment will ensure we can bring the Santa Clara Family Community to life and help struggling families obtain safe housing and comprehensive support services.”
All 30 units of the development, which will be located at the corner of Benton Street and Lawrence Expressway, will have as many as three private bedrooms, creating a capacity for 90 rooms. The Santa Clara Family Community is expected to serve between 100 and 120 people at a time.
The project addresses an acute need in the city of Santa Clara and across the County. The development will prioritize families experiencing homelessness in the city.
“Addressing the homelessness crisis requires effective partnership at every level of government,” said County Executive James R. Williams. “The Santa Clara Family Community project is an example of what we can achieve when State funds are paired with local investments and community collaboration to tackle unsheltered homelessness. The County remains a committed partner in delivering effective solutions that expand housing opportunities and improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.”
The City of Santa Clara is contributing $6.6 million to the project, adding to their ongoing investments in permanent housing and homelessness prevention, while the County and LifeMoves are adding $7.6 million and $12 million, respectively.
The Santa Clara Family Community will include laundry facilities, onsite daycare, a playground, a dog park, and other amenities. Families who live there, typically for a period of several months, will have access to a range of resources, including health and wellness, education, employment and housing.
LifeMoves, the future operator of the Santa Clara Family Community, brings deep experience and trusted relationships in supporting unhoused families across the region.
“We are profoundly grateful for this investment and the bold leadership and commitment of the State of California, County of Santa Clara and City of Santa Clara in this important work,” said LifeMoves CEO Aubrey Merriman. “Together, we are shaping a future where people-centered interim supportive housing — rooted in safety, privacy and personalized care — leads to lasting stability and permanent housing.”
The County has now received more than $100 million in Homekey funding for five temporary and permanent housing projects. Since the inception of the Homekey program, 12 projects within Santa Clara County have been awarded over $250 million, resulting in more than 1,000 new units of temporary and permanent housing.
“We are proud to partner with communities like the County of Santa Clara to deliver housing options that move Californians out of homelessness and connect them with the services they need to maintain housing stability,” said Gustavo Velasquez, director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Through innovative design and expedited processes, we can bring more housing online faster, helping more people connect to opportunity and thrive.”
The State funding supports the County’s comprehensive strategy for addressing homelessness known as the Community Plan to End Homelessness, which was developed in close partnership with cities, nonprofit organizations, and people with lived experience.
The Community Plan emphasizes investments in the full spectrum of housing interventions: financial assistance and other homelessness prevention services, temporary housing and shelter, and permanent housing programs that assist people with obtaining and maintaining stable housing.
“The Santa Clara Family Community reflects the momentum we are building across the region to address homelessness in a smart, strategic, and collaborative way,” said Deputy County Executive Consuelo Hernandez. “This project is what can happen when the State, the County, cities and community partners work together to find solutions.”
Increasing available temporary housing capacity has been a key focus of the Community Plan, which has helped more than 23,000 people find temporary housing or shelters and 17,485 people obtain stable housing between 2020 and 2024.
Since 2023, the County has added 235 new shelter beds, bringing the total available temporary housing bed count in Santa Clara County to 4,376.
For more information on the Community Plan to End Homelessness, visit the webpage for the initiative.
ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
Visit the County of Santa Clara at: santaclaracounty.gov
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/County.of.Santa.Clara
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The project, called the Santa Clara Family Community, will provide emergency interim housing for vulnerable families and is a key part of the region’s broader commitment to preventing and ending homelessness.
The grant for the project comes from Round 3 of the State of California’s Homekey program, which provides direct funding to local public entities, including cities and counties, for the development of various kinds of housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
“I am heartened by this investment to lift up families in the city of Santa Clara who are experiencing homelessness,” said Supervisor Susan Ellenberg, whose District 4 includes the city. “It affirms that our values as a State, County and City are aligned for the benefit of our shared communities, even during a time when resources are shrinking. This investment will ensure we can bring the Santa Clara Family Community to life and help struggling families obtain safe housing and comprehensive support services.”
All 30 units of the development, which will be located at the corner of Benton Street and Lawrence Expressway, will have as many as three private bedrooms, creating a capacity for 90 rooms. The Santa Clara Family Community is expected to serve between 100 and 120 people at a time.
The project addresses an acute need in the city of Santa Clara and across the County. The development will prioritize families experiencing homelessness in the city.
“Addressing the homelessness crisis requires effective partnership at every level of government,” said County Executive James R. Williams. “The Santa Clara Family Community project is an example of what we can achieve when State funds are paired with local investments and community collaboration to tackle unsheltered homelessness. The County remains a committed partner in delivering effective solutions that expand housing opportunities and improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.”
The City of Santa Clara is contributing $6.6 million to the project, adding to their ongoing investments in permanent housing and homelessness prevention, while the County and LifeMoves are adding $7.6 million and $12 million, respectively.
The Santa Clara Family Community will include laundry facilities, onsite daycare, a playground, a dog park, and other amenities. Families who live there, typically for a period of several months, will have access to a range of resources, including health and wellness, education, employment and housing.
LifeMoves, the future operator of the Santa Clara Family Community, brings deep experience and trusted relationships in supporting unhoused families across the region.
“We are profoundly grateful for this investment and the bold leadership and commitment of the State of California, County of Santa Clara and City of Santa Clara in this important work,” said LifeMoves CEO Aubrey Merriman. “Together, we are shaping a future where people-centered interim supportive housing — rooted in safety, privacy and personalized care — leads to lasting stability and permanent housing.”
The County has now received more than $100 million in Homekey funding for five temporary and permanent housing projects. Since the inception of the Homekey program, 12 projects within Santa Clara County have been awarded over $250 million, resulting in more than 1,000 new units of temporary and permanent housing.
“We are proud to partner with communities like the County of Santa Clara to deliver housing options that move Californians out of homelessness and connect them with the services they need to maintain housing stability,” said Gustavo Velasquez, director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. “Through innovative design and expedited processes, we can bring more housing online faster, helping more people connect to opportunity and thrive.”
The State funding supports the County’s comprehensive strategy for addressing homelessness known as the Community Plan to End Homelessness, which was developed in close partnership with cities, nonprofit organizations, and people with lived experience.
The Community Plan emphasizes investments in the full spectrum of housing interventions: financial assistance and other homelessness prevention services, temporary housing and shelter, and permanent housing programs that assist people with obtaining and maintaining stable housing.
“The Santa Clara Family Community reflects the momentum we are building across the region to address homelessness in a smart, strategic, and collaborative way,” said Deputy County Executive Consuelo Hernandez. “This project is what can happen when the State, the County, cities and community partners work together to find solutions.”
Increasing available temporary housing capacity has been a key focus of the Community Plan, which has helped more than 23,000 people find temporary housing or shelters and 17,485 people obtain stable housing between 2020 and 2024.
Since 2023, the County has added 235 new shelter beds, bringing the total available temporary housing bed count in Santa Clara County to 4,376.
For more information on the Community Plan to End Homelessness, visit the webpage for the initiative.
ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
Visit the County of Santa Clara at: santaclaracounty.gov
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/County.of.Santa.Clara
Follow us on X: X.com/sccgov
Follow us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sccgov.bsky.social
ABOUT LIFEMOVES
LifeMoves is the largest provider of interim housing and support services for individuals, couples and families experiencing homelessness in Silicon Valley. Operating more than two dozen sites and programs from Daly City to San Jose, LifeMoves provides evidence-based personalized case management to over 7,400 clients annually.
Media Contacts: María Leticia Gómez/Aaron Kinney, County of Santa Clara Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]