Homekey

Building on the success of Project Roomkey, this significant investment continued a statewide effort to sustain and rapidly expand housing for persons experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, and who are, thereby, disproportionately impacted by and at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases.

Approximately $736 million (FY 2022-23) in grant funding was made available in Round 3 to local public entities, including cities, counties, or other local public entities, such as housing authorities within California.

Lead applicants must be cities, counties, cities and counties, and all other state, regional, and local public entities, including councils of government, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional transportation planning agencies designated in Section 29532.1 of the Government Code; or Tribal Entities.

Each of the foregoing entities may apply independently, or each entity may apply jointly with a nonprofit or for-profit corporation, a limited liability company (LLC), and/or a limited partnership (LP) as a co-applicant.

Homekey is an opportunity for state, regional, and local public entities to develop a broad range of housing types, including but not limited to hotels, motels, hostels, single-family homes and multifamily apartments, adult residential facilities, manufactured housing, and to convert commercial properties and other existing buildings to permanent or interim housing for the target population.

Awarded funds must be used to provide housing for the target population of individuals and families experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and who are inherently impacted by or at increased risk for medical diseases or conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other communicable diseases. For grantees utilizing HOME-ARP funds as match, the target population also includes individuals and families who are “fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking” and “other populations” as defined in HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) Notice 21-10. With respect to the list of eligible uses below, an eligible applicant may choose to target Project Roomkey properties, or other, non-Project Roomkey properties.

The list of eligible Homekey uses is as follows:

1. Acquisition or rehabilitation, or acquisition and rehabilitation, of motels, hotels, hostels, or other sites and assets, including apartments or homes, adult residential facilities, residential care facilities for the elderly, manufactured housing, commercial properties, and other buildings with existing uses that could be converted to permanent housing or interim housing, subject to any limitations set forth in this NOFA, including those provided in Section 301.
2. Master leasing of properties for non-congregate housing.
3. Conversion of units from nonresidential to residential.
4. New construction of dwelling units.
5. The purchase of affordability covenants and restrictions for units.
6. Relocation costs for individuals who are being displaced as a result of the Homekey Project.
7. Capitalized operating subsidies for units purchased, converted, constructed, or altered with funds provided pursuant to HSC section 50675.1.3