Richmond secures $14 million state grant to transform Motel 6 into supportive housing
Richmond has received a State of California Homekey grant to purchase and rehabilitate the Motel 6 on 24th Street into 48 supportive housing units for unsheltered individuals.
Homekey, a statewide initiative, aims to provide and rapidly increase housing availability for individuals facing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.
Richmond received $14.5 million for the project, including $12 million in capital costs and $2.4 million in operating funds.
The city has partnered with Walnut Creek-based affordable housing developer Novin Development to convert the former Civic Center Motel into 48 studio apartments and a one-bedroom apartment reserved for an onsite property manager.
District 5 Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin said having these Homekey units of supportive housing will be a big help, and she looks forward to the renovations and conversion to studio units.
“But it is just the tip of the iceberg. We are continuing to work on tiny villages, and one by one, as new projects take shape, we will continue to showcase our commitment to the unhoused members of our community in the face of this horrific housing crisis,” McLaughlin said.
Soren Hemmila
According to a statement released by Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, Richmond was one of nine California communities that received $130 million in Homekey grants. The grants will create 533 permanent supportive homes for almost 5,000 Californians at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Since 2020, Homekey has awarded $3.6 billion to support 259 projects, including 15,850 homes, projected to serve more than 172,000 California households.
“We are proud to stand with local partners who are serving their communities by providing much-needed housing to alleviate homelessness,” Newsom said. “We’ll continue to support local governments who are doing the work to ensure everyone has a place to call home.”
Permanent supportive housing combines affordable housing options with services designed to foster housing stability, enhance health and well-being, and ultimately elevate residents’ quality of life.
Novin Development would be the principal developer and owner of the property. They would be responsible for purchasing and renovating the building. The project would create permanent housing and include a 55-year affordability covenant with a regulatory agreement and oversight to ensure that all occupants met the affordability convenient for extremely low-income tenants.
Novin Development Manager Nithya Vemireddy said at a community meeting last year that tenants would pay only 30 percent of their income towards rent and utilities and have access to onsite wraparound services provided by Insight Housing.
“We want to target the chronically homeless. That is our intention for this project. We are working closely with the city and the county about who will be living in these units,” Vemireddy said during the workshop.
Iman Novin, president of Novin Development, said he wants to ensure people recognize the site as permanent housing and create a secure home with additional security measures.
“We will have a monitored security camera as well as an onsite property manager there 24-7 to provide additional security. Parking permits will be assigned to the residents so people who don’t live in the community aren’t parking or loitering there,” Novin said.
Turning Motel 6 into a permanent residence will take a lot of work. The building requires a complete electrical upgrade, new air conditioners, new furniture, and bathroom upgrades, and it is expected to cost between $50,000 and $85,000 to renovate each unit.
Opticos Design Associate Caroline Cochran shared renderings for the property last year, including a new welcoming entrance and outdoor seating. Low hedges and walls make the property more visible and engaging to the neighborhood. The experience on the property is more connected to the outside, creating a more engaging and active place.
“The experience on the property is more connected to what is going outside. Just a more engaging, active place,” Cochran said
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