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Residents and providers urge Alameda County to spend Measure W on housing and services
Summary
Dozens of residents, nonprofit housing operators and city representatives urged the Board at a joint committee meeting to dedicate Measure W funds to homelessness prevention, operating subsidies and permanent supportive housing; many providers warned of closures unless operating gaps are closed.
Dozens of speakers at the Alameda County Social Services and Health committees urged county leaders to direct Measure W funds to housing and homelessness services as voters intended.
Voices ranged from residents who described how nonprofit-owned apartments prevented homelessness to nonprofit executives and city officials detailing developer pipelines, pandemic-era arrears and operating shortfalls. Common asks included prioritizing permanent supportive housing, preserving existing units, funding operating subsidies so providers can sustain services, and involving people with lived experience in planning, operations and governance.
John Lindsay Poland of the American Friends Service Committee and several coalition representatives urged alignment between Measure W spending and the Home Together 2026 plan’s priorities. Nonprofit providers—including Eden Housing, Abode Services, Unity Council, MidPen and EAH Housing—asked for Measure W to be used for capital and operating subsidies that would allow projects to advance and remain viable.
Speakers who work directly with survivors of domestic violence and people with mental illness stressed that housing must be paired with services: case managers, medical respite, and substance use disorder treatment to support durable exits from homelessness. Several providers requested that part of Measure W be deployed to stabilize nonprofit operators suffering pandemic-era unpaid rent, citing specific requests from provider coalitions.
Panelists and members of the public called repeatedly for clear criteria and accountability measures, arguing that Measure W should not be diverted to general budget gaps. Board members and staff acknowledged the public input and said final Measure W allocation decisions would be returned to the full Board in July after further modeling and staff recommendations.
The committee’s action on the housing plan and acceptance of staff’s innovation progress report advance planning steps, but do not finalize Measure W spending; that step will be a separate Board process.
