ACTION:
____________________________
Clerk/Secretary
Department: City Manager’s Office Item No: D4
Prepared by:
Jonathan Lung, Housing & Homeless Services
Division Manager Meeting Date: August 26, 2025
Approved by:
Imelda Huerta, Assistant City Manager
John Conley, City Manager Agenda Location: Discussion
S
UBJECT: POTENTIAL HOMEKEY+ PROJECTS IN VISTA
RE
COMMENDATION: Discuss potential Homekey+ projects in Vista, and provide direction to staff.
CO
RRELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS: Homelessness and Housing.
P
RIOR ACTION: None
S
TATEMENT ON THE SUBJECT: On June 3, 2025, the founders of DignityMoves, a nonprofit developer which specializes in rapidly deployable shelter and housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness, contacted City leaders regarding the availability of $70 million in unallocated Homekey+ funds available within San Diego County, as referred by Senator Catherine Blakespear.
H
omekey+ is a State of California program administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that provides competitive grant funding to local jurisdictions, tribal entities, and qualified nonprofits to create housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Building on the success of the original Homekey initiative, Homekey+ now focuses eligible uses to include acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction of Permanent Supportive Housing, with an emphasis on cost- effectiveness and speed to occupancy. The program prioritizes serving populations with the greatest needs, including those in encampments, and encourages innovative partnerships to maximize long-term housing outcomes.
B
ased on recommendations from Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez, DignityMoves cofounder and Chief Real Estate Officer Joanne Price provided a presentation at the June 26, 2025, Standing Committee on Homelessness (SCoH). Sites presented by DignityMoves as options for Homekey+ project(s) in Vista included the City-owned properties at 200 Michigan Avenue, where Lifeline Community Services currently operates, and at the Gloria McClellan Senior Center. The presentation from that meeting is included as Exhibit 1.
S
ince the SCoH presentation, staff have also engaged with All Saints Episcopal Church, who had previously contacted staff to express their interest in developing affordable housing for seniors on their vacant property at 651 Eucalyptus Avenue, which previously hosted a preschool. Despite the alignment of Homekey+ and All Saints’ vision for affordable housing, the rolling applications accepted by HCD for new projects would require an urgent application and commitment from the church, for which the church was not prepared.
AGENDA
REPORT
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
SUCCESSOR AGENCY
BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT
JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY
08/26/2025
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MEETING DATE: PAGE 2
SUBJECT:
S
taff are also considering the acquisition of the properties at and/or around 468 W. Los Angeles Drive, owned by Solutions for Change. Staff had recently toured the site with Solutions for Change staff, who had expressed their intention to dispose of the properties in preparation for their move to Green Oak Ranch.
Use of this site for a Homekey+ project would include acquisition, relocation assistance for current residents, and new construction costs utilizing modular construction to develop Permanent Supportive Housing.
S
taff have also engaged with County of San Diego staff to explore partnership opportunities for this funding.
S
taff recommend discussing potential Homekey+ projects, and are seeking direction from the City Council.
F
ISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this discussion item.
EXHIBITS:
1. June 26, 2025, Standing Committee on Homelessness Homekey+ Presentation 08/26/2025
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Delivering Scalable
Solutions to end
Unsheltered
Homelessness
08/26/2025
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EXHIBIT 1
Freya Estreller
Chief Operating Officer
Board of Directors
Meet our team
Joanne Price
Co-Founder and
Chief Real Estate
Officer
Elizabeth Funk
Founder and
CEO
Elizabeth Funk
Board Chair
Christina Dickerson
Board Treasurer
Smoke Wallin
Board Secretary
Ed Chan
Board Member
Jon Vein
Board Member
LEADERSHIP
Jennifer Kiss
Chief Strategy and
Growth Officer
2 Lived Experience Advisory Board
Katie Cioth Dan Cordie Bella Davis Michelle Jarvis
Kat Nixon Betty Sullivan Chelsea Rogers
Todd Johnson
Demian Johnson
Dignity Council
Pam Baer Ron Boehm Nathan Falstreau Rod Ferguson Stephen Fioretti Gail Gilman Patrick Gilrane Reginald “Reggie” Gilyard Dr. Brian Greenberg Clay Grubb Hala Hijazi Deanna Kangas John Medford Viken Ohanesian Akki Patel Jordan Pynes Eric Schiffer Leland Schwartz Sandy Sigal Joe Stockwell Matt Toledo Adam Waldman Remco Waller Mark J. Weinstein 08/26/2025
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Unsheltered Homelessness is solvable
3 Unsheltered homelessness is the most visible, most
inhumane and yet the most solvable part of the housing
and homelessness crisis impacting cities across the
country.
While only permanent housing ends homelessness,
interim housing gives people a safe and dignified
alternative to living on the street and a pathway out of homelessness.
Interim housing is an invitation to come indoors, to stabilize and seek the support of housing, health and workforce
services. It’s also a cost-effective solution for cities.
While everyone deserves a permanent home, using our
streets as a long-term waiting room for permanent
housing results in tremendous human suffering and
the degradation of our civic life.
By working together on range of housing solutions we can solve unsheltered homelessness.
08/26/2025
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DignityMoves is reimagining solutions
4 We’re innovative thinkers
We’re bringing Silicon Valley out-of-the-box thinking, private sector strategies, and non-profit expertise to spearhead innovative housing and funding solutions
We build interim & permanent housing fast and cost-effectively We’re building Interim Supportive Housing that delivers a dignified, compelling alternative to living on the street
We catalyze systems change
We’re strengthening political and community will and
inspiring civic leaders to tackle this problem at scale with urgency and commitment
We believe it’s possible to provide dignified alternatives to living unsheltered on the streets We mobilize cross-sector partners
We’re a nimble, non-profit partner for cities looking for creative solutions, cost efficiencies and partnerships to build interim housing fast
08/26/2025
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Scale and Impact
5 DignityMoves has grown to 10 communities offering over 700 beds since launching in 2021 We have opened seven communities in San Francisco,
Santa Barbara County, Alameda, Rohnert Park, San
Jose, Santa Maria and Grover Beach.
We have projects underway in San Jose, Oakland,
Thousand Oaks, Modesto, Watsonville, San Luis Obispo,
San Bernardino… and more in the pipeline.
We currently have over 700 beds in DignityMoves’
communities, that have served over 1,100 people.*
We expect roughly 15,000 people to be housed by
DignityMoves by 2030, given average resident stays of
6-12 months.
*As of March 2025
08/26/2025
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Current Communities
33 Gough Street – SF
Dignity Village - Alameda Hope Village – Santa Maria
1016 Santa Barbara Street
Balay Ko on Barca -
Grover Beach
• 34 residential units, 34 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Construction completed in five months
• Fully occupied in August 2022
• 94 residential units: 30 Dignity Health
beds for patients exiting hospital; 11
reserved for TAY; 113 beds
(individual/couples)
• Construction completed in nine months
• Fully occupied in March 2024
• 47 residential ensuite units, 61 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Homekey Award
• Construction completed in 8 months
• Fully occupied in May 2023
• 30 residential units, 36 beds
• Construction completed in eight
months
• Fully occupied in July 2024
• 70 residential units, 84 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Occupied within three months of
construction in two stages (March 6,
2022, and June 8, 2022)
6 In DignityMoves’ communities, everyone has the dignity of a private room with a door that locks 08/26/2025
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Current Communities
Labath Landing - Rohnert Park
La Posada – Santa Barbara
• 60 residential units, 72 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Homekey Award
• Construction completed in five months
• Fully occupied in October 2022
• 80 residential units, 96 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Construction completed in eight
months
• Fully occupied in July 2024
7 Via del Oro - San Jóse
• 135 residential units, 150 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Construction completed in 11 months
• Fully occupied in April 2025
Thrive Grove - Thousand Oaks
Dignity Village - Modesto
• 42 residential units, 50 beds
(individuals/couples)
• Construction completed in six months
• Fully occupied in April 2025
• 30 residential units; 36 beds
(individual/couples)
• Construction completed in 12 months
• Fully occupied in May 2025
DignityMoves communities are set up within months, with an all-in unit cost as low as $75K 08/26/2025
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How we can work
together on Homekey+
08/26/2025
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9 Our Team
DignityMoves Homekey Funding
Round 2: Rohnert Park – Award $11.4M (60 units)
Round 2: Alameda – Award $12.2M (47 units)
Round 3: San Bernardino – Award $35M (140 units)
Round 3: Oakland – Award $14M (40 PSH units)
Round 4: County of Ventura - pending application $30M (88 units) Joanne Price
Co-Founder &
Chief Real Estate
Officer
A Proven Track Record in Securing Homekey Funding
LifeMoves Homekey Funding
Round 1: Mountain View – Award $12M (100 units)
Round 2: Palo Alto – Award $26.6M (100 units)
Round 2: Branham Lane, San Jose - $51M (204 units)
$162.2M and 691 units in Homekey Funding
08/26/2025
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10 Homekey Round 1: LifeMoves Mountain View
LifeMoves (leading service agency in Silicon Valley) together with the City of Mountain View The 100-unit complex on Leghorn Street in
Mountain View is exactly the kind of project that
needs to be replicated, using modular
prefabricated buildings that can be stood up at
blazing fast speeds and at a fraction of the cost
of normal housing… a radical new template for
solving a perennial problem in California.
- Governor Gavin Newsom
Key Takeaways:
● Despite the NOFA’s emphasis on purchasing
hotels, we helped LifeMoves apply using an
innovative idea: modular housing
● Submitted grant application in 72 hours!
● Successful application influenced HCD to include
modular housing in future NOFA guidelines
● LifeMoves Mountain View:
○ 100 rooms (88 individuals/couples; 12
families)
○ Provided 10x the previous year-round
capacity
○ Completed start-to-finish in six months
● Used four different modular companies (Connect
Homes, Indie Dwell, Falcon, Urban Bloc)
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11 Homekey Round 2: Labath Landing Rohnert Park
Co-applicants included DignityMoves, the City of Rohnert Park, and HomeFirst Services Key Takeaways:
● $14.6M Grant ($11.4M for capital)
● Efficient and early application: one of the first five award recipients
● 60 private rooms for individuals and couples (six
with private bathrooms
● Construction completed in 4.5 months
● The first interim housing/shelter in the city of
Rohnert Park
● The ONLY Homekey 2.0 new construction
project to achieve 8-month early occupancy
bonus!
08/26/2025
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12 Homekey Round 2:
Dignity Village Alameda
Co-applicants included DignityMoves and
the City of Alameda
Key Takeaways:
● $12.2M Grant
● 47 private rooms for individuals and couples
● Each unit is 136 sf with ensuite bathrooms
● Construction completed in 4.5 months
● Modular construction from Factory OS
08/26/2025
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13 Homekey Round 3: San
Bernardino Community
Wellness Center
Co-applicants included DignityMoves, the City of
San Bernardino, and Lutheran Social Services of
Southern CA
Key Takeaways:
● $30.75M Grant
● 140 units private rooms serving chronically
homeless men and veterans
● Modular construction from Factory OS
● The Community Wellness Center received
the largest Homekey Award for any single
project in program history!
08/26/2025
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14 Homekey Round 3: Dignity
Village Oakland
Co-applicants included DignityMoves, the City of
Oakland and the Housing Consortium of the East
Bay
Key Takeaways:
● $14.3M Grant
● 40 private rooms designed for chronically
homeless older adults
● Each 325 gross sq.ft. studio unit will have a
living space, kitchenette and ensuite bathroom
● 20% of units will be accessible to people with
mobility disabilities and 12% with hearing or
visibility disabilities
● Modular construction from Factory OS
08/26/2025
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15 ERF Grant: Permanent Supportive Housing
Welcome Home Village, San Luis Obispo
Co-applicants included DignityMoves, the County
of San Luis Obispo, and Good Samaritan Shelter
Key Takeaways:
● This project was awarded $13.4 million, the largest
grant of 23 ERF applications in Round 2
● 40 PSH & 14 Interim Beds
● Intended to address encampments located in flood
and fire zones near the Bob Jones Bike Trail
● 20% of units will be accessible to people with
mobility disabilities and 12% with hearing or visibility disabilities
● Modular construction by Azure 3D Printed Homes
● Grand Opening February 2026
08/26/2025
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16 OUR COMMUNITIES
Comprehensive Design
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OUR COMMUNITIES
Aesthetics are important
17 Our communities are designed to blend into the local environment 08/26/2025
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OUR COMMUNITIES
Interior aesthetics
18 We use trauma informed design principles to ensure our communities meet resident needs 08/26/2025
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19 OUR COMMUNITIES
Blend in seamlessly to the neighborhood
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20 Project Homekey+ Overview
What is Homekey+?
Homekey+ is the permanent housing component of the
Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act, part of
Proposition 1 passed by California voters in March 2024.
The program will rapidly create permanent housing with
supportive services for:
● Veterans
● People experiencing or at risk of homelessness
● Individuals with serious mental illness or substance
use disorders
A new opportunity to create permanent supportive
housing in your community
Homekey+ bridges the gap between crisis response and lasting housing—funded, fast, and focused on the most vulnerable.
Key Features:
● ~$2.2B in funding statewide; ~$1B dedicated to
veterans
● Supports acquisition, rehab, new construction, and
master leasing
● Requires 55-year affordability and integrated support services
● Rolling application process
● Emphasizes speed, cost-efficiency, and behavioral
health integration
● Projects evaluated on readiness, sustainable funding, and impact
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21 Interested in Homekey+?
Here’s how DignityMoves can partner with you
Coordinate
Application
Ensure timely
submission that
has excellent
chance of Award
Help you identify
appropriate land
and funding
Public parcels,private
underutilized sites
Public grants (State)
Philanthropy
Impact investors
Hire the team
Architect, General
Contractor
In-house Project
Manager
Develop site plans
Recommend
manufacturers for
each component
Design site plans
to meet your needs
Oversee
construction
Keep projects on
schedule and
budget
Facilitate
permitting
Partner with
services agency
Advise best
practices
Coordinate
community
outreach
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We quarterback the entire process with you
22 We take care of the heavy lifting and make the process as painless as possible ❖ Help identify suitable locations.
❖ Develop a construction budget, schedule and select
consultants
❖ Help cities drive cost and service efficiencies through population segmentation
❖ Assess whether preference should be given to local
unsheltered population
❖ Assist the selected services agency in developing their plan and budget and preparing the site Code of
Conduct, including racial equity analysis and
coordinated entry policies
❖ Advise on required Council resolutions, exemptions
and analysis
❖ Manage required documentation (insurance, prevailing
wage certificates, bylaws, etc.)
❖ Lead community engagement efforts
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❖ We identify grant opportunities (Homekey/Homekey+ Program, BHCIP, Encampment Resolution Funding)
❖ Our designs meet the Housing Quality Standards for SRO or studio vouchers
❖ We source impact investment funds to finance construction, against long-term lease agreements from the City, County, or supportive services agency
❖ We work with system stakeholders like hospitals (such as Dignity Health) who recognize the business case for interim housing ❖ We work with population specific stakeholders like veterans, Respite Care (Cal-Aim) programs to meet their needs
❖ We raise private philanthropy when needed to expedite the project
➢ Funded 100% of 33 Gough Street in San Francisco
➢ Funded 60% of Downtown Santa Barbara
We work cross sector to secure the funding necessary to build a project 23 We help identify funding
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24 Design & Construction
Manufacturing Service Providers
Our consistent set of construction
partners ensures coordination and
efficiencies:
(design) is a globally
recognized leader in architecture, with
extensive experience designing for
interim housing communities
(general
contractor) is exclusively union labor
and can also serve as an advisor if a
local general contractor is preferred
We navigate tight timelines and budget constraints
We work with trusted partners and drive aggressive construction schedules to ensure the project houses people immediately and effectively
Best in class service providers
provide design input to ensure
effectiveness of service program and
optimal site layout.
We help you navigate the wide
range of modular manufacturers
and product options available.
Our modular manufacturer partners
are flexible and can meet the specific
needs and design requirements of
each project. We have many options to
choose from.
Our strong vendor relationships ensure
priority placement in factory
availability.
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Project Partners Philanthropic Support
SYNERGY
Meet our partners and supporters
An incredible array of values-aligned partners support our Interim Supportive Housing vision 25 08/26/2025
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We help you find suitable locations
Finding the right location for an interim housing community is essential to ensuring long-term success, resident stability, and community impact
26 Our approach considers:
❖ Duration of land availability: Publicly owned, excess land with no demonstrable use within 5 or more years
(i.e., vacant parking lots)
❖ Private partnerships: Private landowners, including
faith-based organizations, can obtain property tax
exemptions (SB 1206) and potential charitable
contributions for fair market lease values
❖ Accessibility: Convenient access to public transportation and essential services
❖ Legal and logistical feasibility: Zoning compatibility (residential or mixed-use) and proximity to infrastructure ❖ Operator input: involvement from the outset to inform design and build trust within the community
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27 08/26/2025
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28 08/26/2025
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29 Senior Center
Site Plan Test Fit
LifeArk
Single Story
50-78 units
CITY OF VISTA HOMEKEY + DIGNITYMOVES / LIFEARK
SENIOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
1400 VALE TERRACE DR, VISTA CA 92084
TOTAL PROGRAM SUMMARY
UNIT TYPE SF/UNIT # UNITS TOTAL (SF) MODS
EFFICIENCY 201 68 13,668 204
EFF (ADA) 268 10 2,680 40
TOTAL 78 16,348 244
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30 Senior Center
Site Plan Test Fit
AZURE 3D Printed
Homes
Single Story
50 PSH
13 Community Spaces
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31 Q&A
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