HOUSING MATTERS CELEBRATES GROUNDBREAKING OF
HARVEY WEST STUDIOS HOUSING PROJECT
Project will create 120 units of permanent supportive housing
Housing Matters announced the groundbreaking celebration for Harvey West Studios, a 120-unit permanent supportive housing project will take place Tuesday, Sept. 17, starting at 10 a.m. The project is located on the Housing Matters campus at the intersection of Highways 1 and 9 in Santa Cruz. The public is invited to attend.
Harvey West Studios will provide permanent supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness. The project is the largest of its kind in Santa Cruz County and represents the commitment by Housing Matters to significantly increase the supply of supportive housing in the community.
“The solution to homelessness is housing,” said Phil Kramer, CEO of Housing Matters. “This vision has been developed over the last eight years to provide the dignity of stable housing to the most vulnerable in our community.”The groundbreaking event will include remarks from elected officials and community partners who have collaborated with Housing Matters to make this project a reality. Attendees will be able to make an immediate impact by volunteering to assemble hygiene kits for Housing Matters program participants at the event.
“We are honored to be part of a dynamic team helping to bring this transformative project to life,” said Nick Friend, Director, Northern California at Century Housing Corporation. “The journey to this groundbreaking has been a testament to our shared commitment to create much-needed supportive homes for Santa Cruz County residents who have faced chronic homelessness.”
Chronic homelessness is defined as individuals who have been living unhoused for a year or more, or who have experienced homelessness repeatedly, and who struggle with one or more disabling conditions.
Harvey West Studios will be constructed for ultra energy efficiency and feature both recuperative care and health clinics on the ground floor, as well as community space for case management and peer support services.
“Central California Alliance for Health is pleased to provide funding for Harvey West Studios through the Medi-Cal Capacity Grant Program,” said Michael Schrader, Chief Executive Officer at the Alliance. “We recognize that access to safe, stable housing is a fundamental component of health and wellness. By supporting both recuperative care and permanent supportive housing opportunities for Medi-Cal members served by Housing Matters in Santa Cruz County, we are directly addressing one of the most crucial social drivers of health.”
Housing Matters is partnering with MidPen Housing and Bogard Construction to construct Harvey West Studios. For more information on Harvey West Studios, visit housingmatterssc.org/harvey-west-studios.
For more information about the groundbreaking event, including where to park, visit housingmatterssc.org/event/
harvey-west-studios-groundbreaking-ceremony
About Housing Matters
Housing Matters partners with individuals and families to create pathways out of their homelessness into permanent housing. Housing Matters offers housing support services and case management as well as emergency shelter and direct services — including hot showers, public bathrooms, and a mailroom — to people experiencing homelessness. Our campus shares space with the County-operated healthcare clinic Homeless Persons Health Project and Dientes, a full-service nonprofit dental clinic, making these services easily accessible to Housing Matters’ guests and the community. Our case management and housing navigation services help end homelessness for hundreds of individuals and their families every year. Learn more at www.housingmatterssc.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.