Message from the Executive Director
Inspired by Counties’ Collaborative Spirit on Housing Solutions
Amie Miller, PsyD., Executive Director
Earlier this month we hosted a housing strategies workshop to help counties as they take on new and challenging state requirements. Teams from around the state joined us for a day of rolling up our sleeves, frank and productive discussions, and true collaboration.
We are deeply grateful for the partnership spirit counties brought to that event, and equally appreciative to the Department of Health Care Services, which helped make the workshop possible with their sponsorship and assistance.
We’re also thankful to the many county leaders who took the time to share with others the innovative projects they’ve conceptualized, funded and built – and the creative thinking that made those projects possible. We heard from counties north, south and central about:
- Conversion of a 90-unit Hampton Inn into a beautiful set of apartments for the unhoused in Placer County, and how they use every other conceivable space in their county facilities to keep people for shorter terms so they can receive treatment
- A state-of-the-art new housing development in Kern County that includes space and care for residents’ pets because they are so often key to mental well-being
- Imperial County’s creative funding processes and applications to streamline housing solutions
- San Diego County’s innovative new contracting methods
- Nevada County’s use of peer respite to meet community needs
The gathering generated new ways of thinking about housing solutions, inventive ideas about how to fund it, and fresh perspectives on how important community partners can be.
But best of all it was a demonstration of counties’ willingness to learn and support one another in this huge new endeavor of implementing the requirements of Prop. 1.
At CalMHSA, our resolve is strengthened by your determination to do what it takes to get care and comfort into your communities. You’ll be hearing more from us over the coming months to keep the ball moving on not just housing development but a renewed community stakeholder process for the implementation of Prop. 1.
September 16, 2024