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Redwood City has been awarded $2.85 million in state funding to help individuals living in homeless encampments access stable housing.
“We are grateful to Gov. (Gavin) Newsom and the state of California for this continued support to reduce the impact of encampments in our community,” said Redwood City Mayor Elmer Martinez Saballos in a press release.
The funding comes from the Encampment Resolution Funding program, a competitive state initiative that assists local jurisdictions in helping unhoused individuals transition from encampments to safe and stable housing.
This marks the second such grant awarded to the city, which received its first grant in 2022, totaling $1.84 million.
A 2024 survey conducted by San Mateo County revealed that the number of unsheltered people in Redwood City decreased by 23% over the past year, even as homelessness rose by 18% countywide.
According to the city, the decline is largely attributed to three key factors: Redwood City’s RV Safe Parking Program, which aimed to transition RV dwellers into permanent housing, the opening of San Mateo County’s Navigation Center in 2023 and the launch of the Coordinated, Inter-Agency Redwood City Outreach Strategy team in 2022, which was formed to connect unsheltered individuals with countywide resources.
The release further added that the new funding will focus on three encampments: at the intersections of U.S. highways 101 and 84 and along Woodside Road and Seaport Boulevard. It will support three primary efforts: cleaning up encampment sites, providing temporary housing to facilitate the transition to permanent housing and partnering with case managers who assist individuals with mental health and substance use services.
Deputy City Manager Jennifer Yamaguma said that the grant will fund encampment clean-ups in the form of waste services led by current and former unhoused residents, helping build connections with encampment residents and encouraging them to engage with outreach workers and case managers for housing support.
“The vast majority of the funds will be allocated to outreach, case management, and housing assistance, with a smaller portion covering encampment waste management and administrative costs,” she added.
On Feb. 24, Newsom announced $920 million in funding for local governments to address homelessness. He also introduced accountability.ca.gov, an online tool that allows Californians to track the progress of their local governments on pressing issues and view state funding allocations.
Meanwhile, Redwood City is considering the adoption of an anti-camping ordinance, which is expected to be presented to the city council in late spring.
