The Sacramento City Council on Sept. 5 unanimously voted to approve new contracts for the City’s Motel Program, which shelters hundreds of people experiencing homelessness each night, including families with children.
The contracts total $7.7 million and will fund the program through June 2024.
“The City’s Motel Program helps provide stability and safety for children and families,” said Nick Golling, the City’s manager of homeless services. “No child should be living on the streets or in a car. This program gives families and others a place to call home until they can find more permanent housing solutions.”
Launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City’s Motel Program provides a motel room to stay in along with wrap-around services, including housing coordination and navigation, program referrals and move-in support to ensure that once clients find housing, they can remain stably housed.
Support services for the program are being provided by Step Up on Second Street.
Since its inception, the City’s motel program has served nearly 1,600 individuals, including 490 children.
Of the 472 participants that left to known destinations, 54% went to permanent or positive temporary housing, officials said.
Utilizing federal and state funding, the City’s Motel Program currently includes five sites that shelter up to 500 people each night.
Participating motels were selected through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process. The service provider was selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process.