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Maryvale outlines expansion of short-term housing; district staff and unions express concern
Summary
Garvey Board heard Maryvale describe Seton House and Hope Housing on its Rosemead campus and a plan to add 20 units; Garvey staff will follow up while union representatives warned of community concerns and the lack of clear city communication.
The Garvey Board of Education on Oct. 10 heard a presentation from Steve Gunther, president and chief executive officer of Maryvale, about two short-term housing programs on Maryvale’s Rosemead campus and a proposed expansion to increase temporary housing capacity.
Maryvale described two existing programs: Hope Housing, operated by Shower of Hope, which provides temporary housing for college women facing housing insecurity, and Seton House, a program opened in 2022 that supports mothers and their young children transitioning to stable housing. According to Maryvale’s presentation, Seton House currently accommodates nine mothers with up to two children under age 10 and provides case management, therapy, parenting training, free childcare and access to mental health and substance-use counseling.
Gunther outlined an expansion plan that would convert an existing facility into 20 additional individual units. Maryvale described the expanded Seton House as creating a combined capacity of 29 temporary (six-month) units together with up to 14 residents from Hope Housing and said the expanded program would continue to offer parenting and life-skills training, housing and job-search assistance, financial literacy education and counseling.
Garvey staff and trustees thanked Maryvale for the information. Assistant Superintendent Rene Hernandez was identified as the district contact who will continue to work with Maryvale to identify partnership opportunities and follow up on program details and any impacts to Garvey schools.
Union leaders at the meeting urged broader public engagement before the proposal advances. Michael Drange, president of the Garvey Education Association, said stakeholders for Community Schools should be involved in oversight and decision points so that one small group does not dominate the process. Olivia De Leon of the California School Employees Association told the Board CSEA has “huge concern” about the short-term housing proposal at Maryvale, saying Rosemead city officials had not shared information and that a recent public hearing had been poorly received by the community.
The Board previously voted to add the Maryvale informational item to the agenda after closed session on the basis that the information arose after the agenda had been posted. Trustees did not take formal action on the proposed expansion at this meeting; district staff will continue follow-up with Maryvale and other local stakeholders.
