As the city’s longest running homeless shelter operator, We Care Program Turlock will soon be able to offer four newly-renovated apartment units for low-income families looking for a long-term and affordable housing solution.
“We are excited to be running a low-income housing unit,” said interim director Sandy Singh. “This has been a really positive experience.”
For over a decade, We Care Program Turlock has provided transitional and emergency shelter services and supportive resources for low-income and homeless individuals looking to become self-sufficient.
This task is not one easily achieved, however, as Singh said that the program has often encountered obstacles when helping individuals secure transitional housing units, which are the middle-ground step between shelter life and independent living.
“What we really found is that there is no low-income housing in the area,” said Singh. “So when we got someone approved for transitional housing, it was very hard to find a place for them to live.”
To fill this need, We Care Program Turlock partnered with the City of Turlock to rehabilitate four two-bedroom apartment units, which will serve as long-term affordable housing to low-income families in the community.
“This project is a perfect example of the collaboration between the City and our nonprofit partners to address the housing needs in our community,” said Mayor Gary Soiseth. “The City Council and I look forward to the grand opening and celebrating this partnership.”
As part of the We Care Housing Program, low-income families that are below 60 percent of the area median income will be eligible to move into the renovated units, which were funded through the City of Turlock’s HOME Investment Partnership Program and Community Development Block Grant Program.
“On behalf of the Stanislaus Housing and Support Services Collaborative, the Executive Committee applauds affordable housing development,” said Aaron Farnan, chair of the Continuum of Care. "The partnership between the City of Turlock and the We Care Program is an example of community collaboration with intent to provide dignity and better quality of life for households in need.”
This is not the first or last time that the City of Turlock has rehabilitated housing units, according to Maryn Pitt, assistant to the city manager for Housing and Economic Development.
“A few years ago we received funding through the American Recovery Act to buy single, vacant, abandoned and foreclosed homes,” said Pitt. “We rehabilitated about 22 homes and then sold them to low-income families.”
Pitt said that the City’s partnership with We Care Program Turlock differs from previous projects since the City is purchasing and rehabilitating the units, and then turning over the finished product to a nonprofit.
“This is a partnership with We Care to provide units for transitional and permanent supportive housing,” said Pitt. “It’s all about bringing affordable units and those important social services to folks here in Turlock so they don’t have to go to Modesto.”
We Care Program Turlock will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly-renovated apartment units from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 8 at 1480 Lambert Avenue. For more information on We Care Program Turlock, visit wecareturlock.org.
