1 Housing & Homeless Solutions
July 1, 2026 City Council Meeting – Agenda Item 6.4
Karen Roper
Continuum of Care Projects & System Integration
PROJECTS OPERATED BY MERCY HOUSE KEY SYSTEM PARTNERS
Dec 2022
Harrison Hope
Center
Navigation Center
HOME
TBRA
Tenant-Based
Rental Assistance
Whatever
It Takes
Flex Barrier Fund
Make It
Cozy
Move-In Support,
Community Engagement
Summer/Fall
FY 2027
5th Street
PSH
Permanent
Supportive Housing
These projects form a coordinated housing solution — from crisis response through permanent housing stability.
Integrated into a larger coordinated care system with cross-sector partnerships CPD Hope Team
City Net in City Hall
Coordinated Entry System Partners
Centro Medico
Community Clinic
County Behavioral Health
MCMT and CBAT in City Hall 1 City of Corona Homeless Strategic Plan | Goal 1 Develop a Systems-Oriented Approach to Address Homelessness City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview Mercy House Corona System of Services Outcomes — Dec 2022 to Present 630
Unduplicated
Individuals Served
153
People in Households
with Children
103
Children
Served
27%
Chronically
Homeless
58%
Disabled
35%
2+ Disabilities
Gender
Female 51%
Male 49%
Non-Binary < 1%
Age Groups
Under 18 16%
18–24 6%
25–54 50%
55–64 20%
65+ 7%
LENGTH OF TIME HOMELESS
365+ Days — 66% < 365 Days — 34%
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview Harrison Hope Center
Navigation Center | Dec 2022 to April 2026 | Operated by Mercy House
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
326
Unduplicated
Individuals Served
34,756
Bednights
Provided
3 Avg. Length of Stay
Perm. Housing Exit
(months)
44 Exited to
Permanent Housing
EXIT DESTINATIONS
61 Temporary
Housing
19 Institutional
Care
70 Other Care Programs
POPULATION HIGHLIGHTS
42%
Women
Served
32%
Guests
Age 55+
39%
Chronically
Homeless
63%
Guests with
Disabilities
2 City of Corona Homeless Strategic Plan | Goal 2
Develop a Low-Barrier Emergency Shelter / Navigation Center System [ Photo Placeholder — Insert shelter / community photo here ]
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Housing Navigation Support
Individualized case management guiding guests toward stable housing pathways.
Medical & Behavioral Health Connections
On-site linkages to primary care, mental health, and substance use treatment.
On-site Service Providers
Partner agencies deliver services directly at the shelter, reducing access barriers.
Respite Care Beds
ADA-accessible and infirm-guest beds providing recovery-focused respite care.
Pathways to Permanent Housing, Temporary & Institutional Care Structured exits to permanent, temporary housing, medical facilities, and other care programs.
Disability Verification Access
Easy on-site access to disability verification — a best practice for the community. 16 Overflow Beds
Surge capacity beds ready to be activated at any time to meet community need.
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview 57%
Exited with TBRA
Assistance
HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)
Prevention & Rapid Rehousing | April 2023 to February 2026 | Operated by Mercy House
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
157
Residents Prevented
from Becoming Homeless
158
Homeless Assisted
to Secure Housing
6 Received Both RRH
& Prevention to Preserve
Tenancy
HOUSING OUTCOMES
91%
Exited to
Permanent Housing
Households who secured stable permanent housing
<5%
Returns to
Homeless System after being Housed
Households who re-entered homelessness system
About the HOME TBRA Program
The HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance program provides rental subsidies and supportive services to prevent homelessness and rapidly rehouse individuals and families. Participants receive housing navigation, landlord mediation, and financial assistance to secure and maintain stable housing in the community.
3 Homeless Strategic Plan — Goal 3
Develop Permanent Supportive and
Affordable Housing Solutions
8 Homeless Strategic Plan — Goal 8
Develop A Homeless Prevention
Initiative
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview A new chapter begins — a Corona resident receives the keys to their new home Whatever It Takes — Flex Barrier Fund
August 2023 to April 2026 | Operated by Mercy House | City of Corona 96 Corona Households
Served
128
Corona Residents
Served
A Best Practice Resource
The Flex Barrier Fund fills critical gaps where traditional funding sources are too restrictive. This flexible resource addresses real-world barriers to housing — from eviction fees to utility arrears — that no other program can cover. It is a best practice that cities across the country wish they had access to.
FUND USES
Utility Arrears
Rent Arrears
Late Fees
Maintenance on Make It Cozy Truck
Furniture
Motel Support
Application Fees
Holding Deposits
Child Safety (e.g. safety gates)
Eviction Fees
Gift Cards (food, groceries, gas)
STORIES OF IMPACT
Housing Stability During Terminal Illness Age 68
A Corona resident undergoing chemotherapy for terminal cancer was facing eviction while caring for his teenage daughter on a fixed SSI income — with nowhere else to turn.
The Whatever It Takes program stepped in with eviction prevention assistance, allowing him to keep his home throughout treatment. His daughter, 16, has remained in the Corona school she knows, surrounded by the community she belongs to.
The Whatever It Takes program delivered housing stability for a family navigating a health crisis — because no family should lose their home in the middle of one.
From Eviction Record to Stably Housed Age 60
A Corona resident was evicted due to a few months' worth of unpaid rent and late fees. The eviction record alone disqualified him from every apartment he applied to — trapping him in a cycle with no clear way out. The Whatever It Takes program paid off the debt in full. Within weeks, he qualified for an apartment. He is now stably housed.
One targeted investment removed a barrier he could not have overcome on his own. Without it, he would likely still be homeless today.
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview Make It Cozy Project
Move-In Support & Community Engagement | July 2024 to April 2026 | City of Corona, City of Norco, Mercy House & City Net 66 Move-Ins Supported
July 2024 to April 2026
DONATIONS PROVIDED TO MOVE - INS
Living room furniture 159
Bedroom furniture 84
Bedding / Linens 75
Kitchen appliances 54
Beds 52
Dining tables 41
About Make It Cozy
Make It Cozy (MIC) is a community mobilization program operating in partnership with the City of Corona, City of Norco, Mercy House, and City Net. MIC accepts donated furnishings (gently used and in great shape) to support emergency shelter graduates in their new homes — working diligently to acquire and match housing essentials and furniture to meet each individual's needs.
PARTNER AGENCIES & BENEFICIARIES
American Legion Post 742
Angels Over Cliffs
LDS JustServe
Christmas Dinner 4 Veterans
City Net
Clark Terrace Senior Apts.
Corpus Christi Church
Corona Vet Center
Elks/Corona
For the People Task Force
Harrison Hope Center
Heritage Senior Apts.
Inspire
Mercy House
Operation Feed Our Heroes
Peppermint Ridge
St. Edwards Food Pantry
Giving 365
Vista Dorada
Volunteers of Veterans
5 Homeless Strategic Plan — Goal 5
Develop and Participate in Sub-Regional
Collaboratives with Neighboring Cities
6 Homeless Strategic Plan — Goal 6
Develop Public/Private Partnerships to
Support Plan Initiatives
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview Neighbors donating. Volunteers delivering. Families settling in. This is Make It Cozy in action. 5th Street PSH
Permanent Supportive Housing | Opening FY 2027| Property Managed by Mercy House STATUS: Finalize County Project-Based Voucher Agreement, CES Referrals, and Lease up in 1st and 2nd Quarter of FY 2027
PROJECT OVERVIEW
11 Project-Based
Vouchers Secured
4 1BR/1BA Units
Chronic Homeless
7 2BR/1BA Units
General Homeless
UNIT COMPOSITION
Bedroom / Bathroom AMI Quantity
One Bedroom / One Bathroom
Designated for Chronically Homeless
30% 4 units
Two Bedroom / One Bathroom
Designated for General Homeless
(families)
30% 7 units
TOTAL 11 Units
Key Achievement
Successfully negotiated with the County to serve both chronically homeless and homeless families in the 2-bedroom units — expanding the program's impact beyond standard PSH eligibility. 3 City of Corona Homeless Strategic Plan | Goal 3
Develop Permanent Supportive and Affordable Housing Solutions [ Insert 5th Street PSH Building / Site Photo Here ]
PROGRAM DETAILS
Project-Based Vouchers
11 HUD Project-Based Vouchers secured to provide long-term rental subsidies for qualifying residents.
Property Management
Mercy House will serve as the property manager, bringing extensive PSH operational expertise.
On-Site Wrap-Around Services
Mercy House will provide on-site residential services and comprehensive wrap-around support — including case management, benefits navigation, and health linkages.
Fully Furnished Units
All units are being fully furnished prior to lease-up, removing a key barrier to entry for homeless residents.
Lease-Up
City, Mercy House, and City Net will collaborate with County CES and Housing Authority for referrals & lease-up City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview The Future of the Corona Continuum of Care
Building on Progress — Strengthening Community Partnerships — Expanding Housing Solutions Second Street Family Apartments Groundbreaking | Buena Vista & 2nd Street, Corona, CA | January 2026 LOOKING AHEAD 1 5th Street PSH Lease-Up
11 Project-Based Voucher unit lease up in 1st and 2nd Quarter of FY 2027. 2 Harrison Hope Shelter Advisory Committee
Launch of a formal advisory committee with local business owners, community members, and partner agencies. 3 Make It Cozy Expansion
Growing community donations and volunteer base to furnish more homes and support more move-ins across the region. 4 Second Street Family Apartments
115 units of affordable housing — including 20 units for homeless families — currently under construction at Buena Vista & 2nd Street. Completion expected 2027/2028.
City of Corona | Housing & Homeless Solutions Division | Continuum of Care Overview