As part of our onboarding process, Supervisor Joelle Gallagher and I have met with all Napa County government department heads, learning about the clients they serve, how they measure their success, and the challenges they face. I am impressed with the many dedicated county workers I’ve met in this process! Over the months ahead, I'll share a bit from each department.
I’ll start things off with some information about the Department of Housing & Homeless Services (DHHS). Jennifer Palmer (at center in the photo) heads the department; she and her team, working with staff in each of our cities and towns, focus on three major areas: Homeless Services, Farmworker Housing, and Affordable Housing Loan programs.
First, in the Homeless Services program, DHHS serves hundreds of people in our community, in several different ways, including (a) three emergency shelters (including one for families); (b) a day center, providing medical services, laundry, and other support; and (c) a Coordinated Entry System that has helped people to get back into housing and develop skills to stay housed. The Homeless Services program team reached a milestone this month: together with their partners at the City of Napa, they opened Valley Lodge, a converted motel that will provide 54 units of permanent supportive housing. Another similar project will open up this fall.
Second, HHS oversees three 60-bed Farmworker Centers in the valley. The Centers are funded through a unique public-private partnership, with every grape grower in Napa County contributing funds for the Centers through a per-acre annual assessment. Together with nightly rent paid by the lodgers, the Centers offer lodging and three meals a day to 380 different lodgers throughout the year. Staff also works with community partners who bring social and health services, and now ESL training, onsite.
Third, HHS’ Affordable Housing Loan Portfolio includes multiple loan and grant programs that provide different ways to help low-income residents find housing, including down payment assistance for local workers, loans specifically for residents in multi-family housing, and most recently, support for residents who want to build and rent out an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). You can learn more about the program here.
The work of DHHS is critical in solving housing challenges for the neediest in our community. We are so fortunate to have Jennifer, her team, and their local nonprofit partners working hard to improve access to housing in our county. (Next newsletter’s featured department: Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA))
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