Mayor Barbara Lee Welcomes $53 Million Measure W Investment to Expand Permanent Supportive Housing in Oakland

photo credit: Marques DuPree & Darrion Webb

Oakland, CA - As the federal government cuts aid to homeless families, children, and seniors, Alameda County is stepping up - and Oakland is ready to meet this moment. Mayor Barbara Lee today welcomed Alameda County's award of $53 million from the Measure W Home Together Fund Multifamily Homelessness Solutions Program to nonprofit groups that will lead the development of supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The funding, a joint effort of Alameda County Health's Housing and Homelessness Services (ACH&H) and Alameda County Housing and Community Development (HCD), will expand the region's supply of permanent supportive housing at a time when federal support is retreating.

Approved by voters in 2020, Measure W is the County's primary local funding source for addressing homelessness through housing, health services, and system infrastructure. A core strategy of the Home Together Fund is to expand the County's permanent supportive housing inventory, and this competitive request for proposals was specifically designed to accelerate the development of projects that are ready to move forward and deliver long-term housing stability.

"On behalf of the residents of Oakland, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the County for allocating Measure W funds toward permanent supportive housing in our city," said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. "Oakland is home to 54 percent of all unhoused individuals in Alameda County, and 74 percent of the county's unhoused Black residents. That is not a coincidence - it is the product of decades of redlining, disinvestment, and displacement. The homelessness crisis in Alameda County is, at its root, a racial equity crisis. Every solution must be built with this reality, and we will move forward boldly with racial equity as our North Star."

The awarded projects are expected to deliver over 900 new permanently affordable homes countywide, including up to 346 units for people experiencing homelessness. In Oakland specifically, the investment will help build 319 affordable housing units, including 96 units for residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

"This investment puts Measure W to work in a very real and expedited way," said ACH&H Director Jonathan Russell. "By prioritizing shovel-ready developments with on-site supportive services, we are increasing the supply of permanent supportive housing that helps people experiencing homelessness stabilize, improve health outcomes, and remain housed over the long term."

Projects were selected based on their readiness to move forward quickly and leverage additional state and federal financing, including Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and the State HomeKey+ Program. All funded developments include dedicated supportive services and demonstrate long-term operational sustainability of at least 15 years, ensuring that Measure W investments create lasting impact for the community.

"Access to safe, affordable, and stable housing is a basic necessity, as essential as food, health care, and education," said HCD Housing Director Michelle Starratt. "Through Measure W, Alameda County voters paved the way for the County to support our vulnerable neighbors and increase affordable housing. By carefully stewarding public resources, we are making critical steps to solve homelessness."

"Voters were clear that Measure W dollars should produce tangible results," said Alameda County Board of Supervisors President David Haubert (District 1). "This investment delivers exactly that: new permanent supportive housing that strengthens our communities and provides long-term stability for our most vulnerable residents."

Projects are located throughout Alameda County in Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Newark, and Livermore in alignment with Measure W Guiding Principles and the Home Together Plan. To learn more about these projects, visit Health.AlamedaCountyCA.gov.

To date, Alameda County has committed $146 million in Measure W Home Together Fund investments supporting interim housing, expanded access to services for people with complex medical conditions, and infrastructure that enables increased rental subsidies. Approximately $40 million of the current funding supports shovel-ready new construction, with an additional $10 million anticipated in early 2026 for acquisition and rehabilitation projects.