$16.7 million has been awarded for a Crestview Hotel Conversion project in Santa Clara through California’s Project Homekey program. This housing program was launched by the state in 2020, in a bid to expand housing access through the conversion of hotels, motels and other vacant or underutilized buildings into either permanent or transitional housing units.
According to the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Project Homekey funds given to Santa Clara county are intended to convert the 61-unit Crestview hotel located at at 901 E. El Camino Real into a supportive housing apartment consisting of 48 units, which is expected to be ready for occupancy within a year. In the long run, the county has plans to eventually raze the hotel and build a new structure that will provide 120 units of affordable housing. Santa Clara County is also partially funding the project and will offer a $3 million grant from its “2016 Measure a Affordable House Bond”.
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Opposition faced by the Crestview Hotel Conversion project
The county’s plan for the Crestview Hotel Conversion project, along with the previously announced conversion of the 64-unit Bella Vista Inn in Santa Clara, met stern opposition from neighbors, who felt introducing these supportive housing projects into the neighborhood would increase the rate of crime in the area. About $22 million in Project Homekey funds was awarded by the state in January for the redevelopment of the Bella Vista Inn.
Some meetings were held concerning the safety and security concerns of these affordable housing projects in Santa Clara. The program manager for the Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing, Eloiza Murillo-Garcia assured the opponents that property management would be available on site to maintain the property and ensure the safety of residents. Murillo-Garcia also pointed out that the future residents of the Crestview Hotel Conversion project would have a lease.
According to the Assistant community development director for Mountain View, Wayne Chen, the renovations and other improvements needed for the Crestview Hotel Conversion project would most likely take between three and six months, which is much quicker compared to other affordable housing projects in the city, with years-long construction cycles. Chen also added that the property was at a prime location, as it’s in close proximity to the transit and other existing services and amenities along El Camino Real.
