Tour Highlights Innovative Sares Regis, LifeMoves Homeless Housing

Several Bay Area Council members and partner organizations toured the award-winning LifeMoves supportive interim housing community in Mountain View on Tuesday, getting a first-hand look at the innovative housing solutions funded by Project Homekey. The LifeMoves Mountain View project includes 80 single units, 12 family units, laundry services, an outdoor communal dining area, a community classroom, and offices for a case manager and onsite nurse. The project also includes a children’s playground and a dog kennel. The project cost about $105,000 per bed to build, $22,000 per bed to operate, and was made possible through a grant from Gov. Newsom’s successful Project Homekey program. For comparison, the average cost per bed of a Bay Area Homekey project was about $170,000. The LifeMoves Mountain View project was able to keep costs down while providing a safe and comfortable environment by relying on donated land and utilizing innovative modular development designed by Council member Sares Regis.

LifeMoves and Sares Regis told tour members that to expand this model throughout the region, they need only a location, funding, and a municipal partner. California’s latest budget includes $5.8 billion over the next two years to continue Project Homekey, which the Governor’s office estimates will house 42,000 homeless residents. Bay Area Council staff are committed to working with Sares Regis to help find locations throughout the Bay Area to expand the LifeMoves model. To engage in the Council’s homelessness work, please contact Vice President Adrian Covert.