“These manufactured homes are a potentially quicker and lower-cost opportunity to increase local housing stock and bring units online, in addition to new construction and adapting commercial buildings for housing,” said Peter Ragsdale, Executive Director of the Housing Authority County of San Joaquin. “The demand for housing in San Joaquin County has surpassed supply to the point of crisis, so meaningful housing opportunities and self-sufficiency programs that foster housing stability,” Ragsdale said.
The bulk of funding for Turnpike Commons was provided by the Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) awarded by the San Joaquin Continuum of Care. Additional funding came from the City of Stockton Community Development Block Grant, and a grant from Wells Fargo Bank.
The success of Turnpike Commons is built upon partnerships, and each partner provides a critical resource for the project’s success. Delta Community Developers Corp., the non-profit arm of H.A.C.S.J., was responsible for site development and construction, including the final placement of the manufactured homes. Stockton Shelter for the Homeless will refer families directly from their programs and provide ongoing case management to help families avoid returning to homelessness. Central Valley Housing will refer several of its chronically homeless clients to the remaining units, and will also provide ongoing case management. STAND Affordable Housing will provide property management services.
Fred Sheil, Administrator for STAND, highlights that “as this project demonstrates, Stockton has vacant lots, vacant houses and blighted properties all over the city. Let’s buy, build and rehabilitate and end homelessness.”
According to Jon Mendelson, director of Central Valley Housing, the project is an example of the investment and vision needed to address homelessness in Stockton and San Joaquin County.
“Stockton Shelter for the Homeless is very proud of the innovative work of this partnership and excited to have housing to send our clients to after they complete their shelter program and will graduate to their own homes,” commented JoLyn McMillian, CEO of the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless.
“Housing ends homelessness, and Turnpike Commons directly places homeless people into housing,” Mendelson said. “This is the way we reduce the number of people living in shelters and in encampments by the highway. We build housing and provide the support so people have a path to self-sufficiency.”
