Expanding Relief for the Unsheltered: In Support of the City of Fremont
A Homeless to Housed Initiative
The Urban Land Institute San Francisco supported the City of Fremont through its H2H initiative to explore expanding non-congregate shelter options, specifically the city's Winter Relief Program (WRP)—a program that repurposes surplus hotel rooms to shelter the unhoused. With over 75% of Fremont's 807 unhoused individuals unsheltered (2024 Point in Time Count), the city faces growing housing and funding challenges.
The workshop convened 40+ stakeholders including city officials, hotel owners, affordable housing developers, and service providers to evaluate how to extend WRP from 5 to 12 months and integrate shelter with broader housing strategies.
Key Takeaways:
- Barriers Identified: Limited funding, high housing costs, and resource misalignment.
- Proposed Solutions: Leverage city-owned land; Develop partnerships with motels/hotels for shelter and safe parking; Create a revolving acquisition fund to reduce developer risk.
- Strategic Themes: Build a housing continuum from shelter to permanent housing; Foster regional and state partnerships; Pursue creative, multi-sector funding solutions.
- The workshop reinforced the urgent need for regional coordination, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainable, long-term housing investments to address Fremont's homelessness crisis.
Report Summary: The Urban Land Institute San Francisco supported the City of Fremont through its H2H initiative to explore expanding non-congregate shelter options, specifically the city's Winter Relief Program (WRP)—a program that repurposes surplus hotel rooms to shelter the unhoused. With over 75% of Fremont's 807 unhoused individuals unsheltered (2024 Point in Time Count), the city faces growing housing and funding challenges.
The workshop convened 40+ stakeholders including city officials, hotel owners, affordable housing developers, and service providers to evaluate how to extend WRP from 5 to 12 months and integrate shelter with broader housing strategies.
Key Takeaways:
- Barriers Identified: Limited funding, high housing costs, and resource misalignment.
- Proposed Solutions: Leverage city-owned land; Develop partnerships with motels/hotels for shelter and safe parking; Create a revolving acquisition fund to reduce developer risk.
- Strategic Themes: Build a housing continuum from shelter to permanent housing; Foster regional and state partnerships; Pursue creative, multi-sector funding solutions.
- The workshop reinforced the urgent need for regional coordination, cross-sector collaboration, and sustainable, long-term housing investments to address Fremont's homelessness crisis.