Activism

Richmond Hopes to Acquire Motel 6 to House Homeless

The City of Richmond hopes to acquire the Motel 6 near Civic Center Plaza in order to convert the hotel into permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. At its meeting Tuesday, the City Council will be asked to decide whether to move forward with strategies to fund the acquisition and conversion of the motel, including an application to receive funding from the state’s Project Homekey program.

Published

3 years ago

June 24, 2023

Oakland Post

Motel 6 sign. Photo by Mike Kinney

The City of Richmond hopes to acquire the Motel 6 near Civic Center Plaza in order to convert the hotel into permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.

At its meeting Tuesday, the City Council will be asked to decide whether to move forward with strategies to fund the acquisition and conversion of the motel, including an application to receive funding from the state’s Project Homekey program.

Project Homekey funds conversions of hotels and other properties that create housing with supportive services for the homeless.

Formerly called the Civic Center Motel, the property at 425 24th St. was only recently converted into the Motel 6 Richmond Civic Center.

City staff said they were approached by motel owners about a potential lease or sale of the property to the city.

After receiving word about the availability of project Homekey Round 3 funding, the city reached out to affordable housing developers about partnering for a motel acquisition and conversion into 50 supportive units.

Walnut Creek-based Novin Development expressed interest, then reached out to the Motel 6 owners to work out a purchase and sale agreement, contingent on receiving Homekey funds.

Novin Development proposes to partner with Insight Housing (formerly Berkeley Food and Housing Project), to provide on-site services to the formerly homeless at the converted Motel 6.