Vacaville staff update council on plan to convert Quality Inn into 85-unit Homekey permanent supportive housing

Vacaville City Council received a status update Jan. 14 on a proposed Homekey conversion of the Quality Inn at 1050 Orange Drive into studio permanent supportive housing that would deliver 86 units (one manager unit and 85 units for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness).

The proposal, presented by Tamara Golden, Vacaville housing and community services director, and Panit Margaba, CEO of California Supportive Housing (CSH), would convert the hotel into studio units and apply for state Homekey funds. Golden told council staff would not request an allocation of permanent local housing allocation (PLHA) funds until the Jan. 28 meeting and that the city is preparing a funding agreement for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds previously set aside for homeless housing.

Why it matters: converting existing hotels into permanent supportive housing has been a major statewide strategy to house people experiencing homelessness quickly; the City would use a mix of state Homekey funds, ARPA capital match and philanthropic sources, and the Vacaville Housing Authority would provide project-based vouchers to support operations.

CSH described its experience with hotel conversions and its proposed team for the project, saying the group recently led large Homekey-funded projects in the Bay Area. Margaba said CSH’s approach includes community focus groups…