Housing authority, nonprofits urge city help as Kasanova fire leaves 82 residents displaced

The Housing Authority of Monterey County and local nonprofit partners told the City Council on April 7 that the March 9 fire at 800 Kasanova Ave. destroyed or damaged units and displaced roughly 82 residents, and that urgent city support is needed to finish rehousing the survivors.

The authority said it immediately arranged hotel lodging and emergency services and has secured housing choice vouchers for eligible residents, but faces a funding gap to cover continuing hotel bills, security deposits and moving assistance until permanent placements are complete. “We have placed 35 families in permanent housing and are working daily to locate units for the others,” Zelica Brein, executive director of the housing authority, told the council. “As of April 6, we had roughly 43 residents still occupying the hotel; we expect about 31 will remain after placements now scheduled for the coming week.”

The housing authority said its staff and contractors have been providing case‑work, housing navigation and transportation assistance. All‑In Monterey, a local nonprofit handling donations and furnishings, said volunteers are delivering starter packs—beds, linens, pots and pans—and providing onsite meal and laundry support as residents move into new units.

Residents have been reluctant to accept some out‑of‑area offers and several need units with accommodations for mobility or other medical needs, officials said. The authority said many displaced households lack renters insurance or money for deposits and moving costs; roughly one‑third of the remaining households are elderly or disabled. “We have been able to place dozens, but the hotel costs and security‑deposit needs remain,” Brein said.

Council members pressed housing staff on timelines and contingency plans if grant awards for construction funding do not materialize. Assistant City Manager Nat (presenting staff) described an unspent balance in the city’s current‑year rental‑assistance allocation and told the council the city manager could donate up to $125,000 from that line item to community partners.

After extended discussion about whether the city should contract for case management or make direct donations to nonprofits already providing services, the council voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to donate up to $125,000 to the Housing Authority and partner organizations. Council members also directed staff to coordinate with county and philanthropic partners to seek additional funding and urged timely reporting back to the council on agreed uses and outcomes.

All parties emphasized that housing victims quickly limits trauma and reduces overall costs: hotel nights are expensive, and many residents require extra help obtaining documentation, medical appointments and durable goods. The emergency response team said it expects most remaining residents to be housed within four to six weeks if they accept available units; officials warned that continued refusals or delays will increase the hotel bill and the need for further donor support.

The council’s authorization does not itself obligate long‑term city funding; instead it gives the city manager authority to transfer up to $125,000 from the fiscal‑year 2025–26 rental assistance balance to partner organizations to continue immediate relocation and stabilization services.

The housing authority said it will continue daily case management and housing navigation, and the council requested regular updates on placements, hotel cost burn rate and any additional funding requests.