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Years of treading water in San Mateo County’s housing market finally caught up to Elizabeth Perez, when the Redwood City native was forced to live out of her pickup truck. Not long after, she learned she was pregnant.
While searching for shelter, Perez learned from a caseworker about Casa Esperanza, a permanent supportive housing site recently opened by the county at 1818 El Camino Real, the former Comfort Inn.
Today, Perez pays about a third of her monthly income in rent and is living comfortably with her daughter at Casa Esperanza, where she has finally begun saving.
“Out of nowhere everything just went up, from $1,400 to $2,000,” she said. “I didn’t know where to go, where to start, to get back on track. It was hard. Life was hard.”
Operated by the nonprofit Episcopal Community Services under contract with the county, Casa Esperanza pairs affordable rent — typically no more than 30% of a resident’s income — with services designed to address financial, health, or family challenges. The site opened in early 2023 and offers 51 units for unhoused and formerly unhoused adults.
The county’s point-in-time count of 2024 found that over 2,000 people experience homelessness locally, nearly a 20% increase from 2022. The organization attributes this jump to rising rents and the number of folks living in vehicles, as 40% of the unsheltered population lives in RVs and about a third in cars.
According to research by UCSF Professor Dr. Margot Kushel, who has studied homelessness for decades, permanent supportive housing is a critical, evidence-based strategy for ending homelessness. In her research, the rights and responsibilities of tenancy provide the stability people need to address other challenges in their lives.
Casa Esperanza is not transitional housing. Residents may stay as long as they choose and can access case managers, hygiene supplies, food and other resources. Case management, resident engagement, health and wellness programs, and job counseling are provided through the county nonprofit Mental Health Association.
The county purchased Casa Esperanza for $17 million, with $14.5 million coming from the state’s Homekey initiative, which helps local jurisdictions acquire and convert hotels into permanent housing. Casa Esperanza was formerly the Comfort Inn, and the county plans to convert the Ramada Inn at 721 Airport Blvd. into 45 affordable apartments for seniors.
County officials say the program is expected to withstand potential federal funding cuts thanks to the half-cent Measure K sales tax, which subsidizes rent at Casa Esperanza, though such cuts could hinder the creation of similar sites in the future. The county contributes more than $13 million annually to the program.
“Federal cuts to permanent supportive housing put vulnerable residents at risk and threatens a proven solution that allows people to exit homelessness,” said Claire Cunningham, director of the Human Services Agency, according to a county press release. “Supportive housing allows people to leave shelters, opening space for those newly experiencing homelessness.”
Each unit at Casa Esperanza includes a stove, refrigerator and sink, and residents have full tenant rights, including the freedom to come and go as they please. The property also includes a shaded dog run. Episcopal Community Services has operated the site since 2024, after Alta Housing’s tenure, and staffs the former hotel lobby around the clock. The nonprofit will also operate a new supportive housing site in South San Francisco.
To learn more about the history and components of Casa Esperanza, visit the county’s page here, or Episcopal Community Services’ page here.
