Projects in Downey and Bakersfield Will Help Prevent Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities from Entering Homelessness
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has announced key milestones for two housing projects receiving funding through the State-funded Community Care Expansion (CCE) program, which is providing funding for the construction and rehabilitation of adult and senior care residences for low-income and homeless adults.
In Downey, the Agapao Fellowship has begun the rehabilitation of a 120-person residence that will be licensed as an Adult Residential Facility (ARF) with help from a $20.7 million grant from the CCE program. The funding will allow a previously closed facility to be rehabilitated and opened under new ownership as well as ensure that operations at the facility are sustainable. The Agapao Fellowship’s goal is to help vulnerable individuals in the community attain a better quality of life through personalized care and housing solutions.
In Bakersfield, Heritage Living broke ground on the construction of a new assisted living residence that will be licensed as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE). The 36-person residence is supported by an $8.5 million investment through the CCE program to create and expand long-term housing with care and supportive services for older adults experiencing homelessness.
“The Community Care Expansion program is continuing to support California’s most vulnerable population, with many housing projects underway across the state,” CDSS Director Jennifer Troia said. “These residential communities will provide wraparound mental and physical health services and programs to help improve the quality of life for older adults and individuals experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles and Kern counties.”
The site in Downey, which has been closed for five years, will be rehabilitated and opened under new ownership to provide individualized services, including plans of care, case management, medication support, and nutritional assistance. The project will also offer residents activities and easy access to medical care staff.
“Agapao Fellowship is deeply appreciative of the California’s unwavering commitment to providing appropriate care facilities for individuals facing homelessness, mental health challenges, and substance use disorder,” said Samuel Suh, founder of Agapao Fellowship, and Esther Suh, RN, director of Agapao Fellowship, in a joint statement. “The State’s dedication to this cause reflects a profound act of humanitarian compassion, which will not only improve the quality of life for the most vulnerable individuals but also promote their reintegration into society. Agapao Fellowship is honored to participate in this important effort through the CCE program to bring personalized compassionate care to the most vulnerable. We are determined to create a supportive environment that embodies individualized true loving fellowship and healing.”
The residences in Bakersfield being built by Heritage Living will provide housing with care for older adults with mental health challenges, including those with an extensive history of hospitalization and severe periodic behavioral problems. Residents will have access to amenities such as a community garden and education room. Staff will support residents’ vocational and life skills — including how to reside with a roommate, maintain hygiene, and cook simple meals — to help them regain their independence.
“We plan on building a safe and caring environment that offers support for some of the most vulnerable in our community,” Heritage Living Facility Administrator Tina Malhi said. “We designed the facility to provide a home-like atmosphere where residents feel comfortable and can reside long-term.”
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: The CCE program is a key component of California’s statewide effort to expand its supply of housing and care, improve outcomes for aging and disabled adults, and prevent the cycle of homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization. It provides vital housing with care and supportive services for vulnerable older adults and individuals with disabilities who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, a key component of the state’s Master Plan for Aging.
Affordable housing is critically important as a growing number of older adults are facing homelessness. Among single adults experiencing homelessness, nearly half (48 percent) are 50 years and older. Among single adults 50 years and older, 41 percent became homeless for the first time at age 50 or older. These projects help address the need for affordable housing with care and supportive services that are appropriate for older adults at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
MORE ABOUT THE CCE PROGRAM: The CCE program grant funds have invested more than $570 million in local communities, supporting 61 housing projects and creating more than 3,100 new bed/housing units with care and supportive services. These investments support the acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction of housing with care and supportive services, such as permanent supportive housing, licensed adult and senior care facilities, and recuperative care sites. To date, six of the 61 CCE-funded housing projects, representing 493 new beds/units, have completed construction and are in the process of initiating move-in, and an additional 13 projects, representing 595 beds/units, have also broken ground.
In addition, the CDSS has awarded $247 million to 34 participating California counties through the CCE Preservation program for the conservation of existing adult and senior care facilities serving applicants and recipients of Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants. To date, 52 facilities at risk of closure have contracted with 10 counties through the CCE Preservation program to continue serving their communities, preserving 1,501 beds.
These investments also support Goal One of California’s Master Plan for Aging, a blueprint to prepare the public and private sectors for demographic changes. Goal One targets delivering new housing options for older adults and people with disabilities by 2030.
If you have any questions, please contact CDSS at (916) 657-2268.