Gov Newsom speaks at Motel 6 in Pittsburg to announce the state’s new Homekey program on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Screenshot from press conference video.
$21.6 million total for program; approved as a consent calendar item and the last item on the agenda without discussion; no appraisals included; Glover, Kramer split on issue; appraises for $16.7 million.
Motel 6 in Pittsburg. Photo by Motel 6.
By Daniel Borsuk
The light will be left on for homeless, now at the Motel 6 in Pittsburg. Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors may have quietly went about unanimously approving $21.6 million for the purchase of the motel and almost two years of operations, as part of the state’s Homekey program to help the homeless find shelter, food, jobs and get social services, but the Board’s consent action on Tuesday also demonstrates how far apart two political candidates – longtime District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover and challenger Contra Costa County Assessor Gus Kramer – are on the issue of homelessness.
The agenda item was quietly acted on as a consent item, and the last on the agenda. There was no discussion on the item, nor were copies of the two appraisals by the county’s Public Works Real Estate Division included with the agenda. Attempts to obtain the appraised value for the property from members of the Board, County Administrator David Twa, and the Public Works Real Estate Division were unsuccessful prior to publication time. However, Supervisors Federal Glover, in whose district the motel is located, as well as Candace Andersen and Diane Burgis said they would work to provide the information.
Located at 2101 Loveridge Road in Pittsburg, the County, with the state’s financial assistance decided that acquisition of the Motel 6 will increase the number of shelter beds permanently available in East County from 20 beds to 174 beds, a 770 percent increase. In addition to providing shelter, the program, funded under the state’s Home Key Program, would provide health care, behavioral health and other services to residents.
Contra Costa, along with the counties of San Francisco, Alameda and Santa Clara have now drawn state Homekey funds in the fight to solve homeless issues.
“This will be a great opportunity to get people off the street,” said Supervisor Glover who faces Kramer in a November 3rd face-off election because neither candidate drew enough votes to surpass 50 percent threshold of the total votes in the March election. In that March election, the District 5 Board Seat had three candidates competing for the District 5 seat covering the communities of Antioch, Alhambra Valley, Clyde, Crockett, Hercules, Martinez, Mountain View, Pacheco, Pittsburg, Port Costa, and Rodeo – Glover, Kramer and Martinez businessman Sean Trambley – and no candidate had mustered votes exceeding 50 percent of the votes counted. As a result, Glover and Kramer are in a run-off election on November 3.
The Contra Costa County Behavioral Department will operate the county’s Homekey program.
County Assessor Kramer, who must appear in Superior Court Judge John Cope’s court room on today, for a jury trial on civil “corrupt or willful misconduct” charges took a different view on the Board of Supervisors’ action to acquire the 174-room motel from OKC of Pittsburg for use as a homeless facility.
Kramer lashed out at his political opponent Glover and other supervisors for spending $21 million. “It’s a great program, but it is a waste of resources,” he said. “What a horrible investment. Shame on the Board and Federal.”
Kramer did offer a potential solution to the homeless problem in the county and perhaps the state by creating camps like what occurred during the Great Depression where job, health and other public services would also be provided to individuals.
10/27/20 UPDATE: Asked for copies of the appraisal, Chief Assistant County Administrator Eric Angstadt responded, “I’m only aware of one appraisal. It was contracted out. I can give you what the topline is, but the appraisal is not available until after escrow closes.”
“The appraised value is $16.7 million at $96,000 per room,” he stated. “It’s 4.2% above the appraised value.”
Asked if the appraisal was done internally or contracted out, Angstadt said, “We always contract out appraisals. We have staff with real estate licenses. But I don’t believe we have any licensed appraisers on staff.”
“The state was very public about how much they were willing to pay at $100,000 per room,” he continued. “So, it didn’t leave us with much room to negotiate.”
“We have not signed the purchase and sale agreement, yet. That will happen once we finish the due diligence. We are working our way through all of it. It’s scheduled to close escrow on November 10th,” Angstadt added.
Orange COVID-19 Metric Next Week?’
Supervisors were informed that by next Tuesday the county should transition into the orange COVID-19 criteria, Contra Costa County Health Services Director Anna Roth said. “We should meet the orange metric next week,” she said. A move to an orange metric would mean the removal of further restrictions on some businesses.
Since the County declared a State of Emergency because of COVID-19 in March, there have been 18,214 cases and 236 deaths, Roth reported.
The health director encouraged the public to continue to wash hands, keep their distance, and stay home from work or school if they felt ill.
Four Abatement Actions
Supervisors acted on four abatement actions at the recommendations of the Conservation and Development Department.
Properties the Supervisors took action on were:
Property at 2738 Dutch Slough Road, Oakley, owned by Elmo G. Wurts, for $8,141.20; property at 0 Stone Road, Bethel Island, owned by Thanh Ngyyen for $6,964; property at 4603 Gateway Road, Bethel Island, owned by Franks Marina for $5,591.20; and property at 3901 La Colina Road, El Sobrante, owned by Rudolph N. Webbe for $3,256.70.
Supervisors did not hear any comments from either property owners or the public on the abatement items.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
There ok unemployment MONEY common NEWSON ..!! Yup need to go out with PELOSI
There our unemployment $
Learn to speak English and write properly or shut up because no one wants to hear from a dumb*** idiot that they can’t read from.
I know the homeless is thankful and grateful they have someone like Gavin Newsom to get them in some shelter motel 6 is the perfect room key location especially if they are providing the behavioral programs and food for people we have to eradicate homelessness. Give them a destination keep our neighborhoods clean and resources available to not have to walk over people in your community because they hit a devastating occurrence in their life I just hope if anything like this ever happens and I pray that it doesn’t that I have a city and a government that care that much about me to get me water food and shelter and help me transition back to some basic necessity of life. You pay taxes anyway I’d rather have mines go to a human being than a road
I want to thank God for and foremost for letting me see another year 2022. And started my life out with a clean mind and everything that else falls in place. Yes indeed I thank Governor Newsom for all the help,extra resources for the States that needed help with all types of funding for the right resources of lacking. Amen!
I been homeless for almost a year on/off, Since March1,2021,, I have been living in housing since 1996-2021, for 26years. It goes by your income (subsiding housing). Then off to a low income affordable hotel in Fremont,California. For 3 months until a major accident happened to me on Mother’s Day, Beaten like a rundown Indian/African American woman/mother. Yes justice was served. Imagine that? But a fool I was, I took him back? They always sorry? Then I go to stay with my good friend from work and it was okay until she mistreated us and then I move in Richmond where my godchild was the mini manager from hell. And abuse our money for her selfish personal reasons. And doing fraudulent with the owner. Etc. Then once again me and my fiancé sleeping in his car and motel for a week or two. Me between jobs. Due to I’m mentally disabled, and my fiancé works 2 jobs so that I’m safe and comfortable before his needs. After 10 months of in/out, place to place. , attempting suicidal 2 weeks ago. Someone finally heard my do it myself on writing letters, emails and phone calls and definitely waiting list. I’m really getting some real help for all my issues and major problems. Thank God for my 211 core team, contra costa county advocates for my mental health status. 247 hotline crisis. Got plenty of referrals for everything. And on top of that I did get injured at my first day at work when I was working at the gas station,we got robbed at gun point, and to mention then got attacked in San Rafael smashed into the wall and got shot at going to work at that gas station and someone tried to rape me as well. The 4months that I work at the store was becoming unmanageable. So now I have to keep my life discreet. That invididual human being is serving time . Now I’m definitely okay and started my new year 2022 , Staying serving thee Lord Speaking my best life with Jesus Christ cordially amen. Amen!
Homeless in Pittsburg with 3 kids and 2 with disabilities how do I apply?
This is a complete scam to bring more homeless to CCC. Ask yourself how are they going to get there. . .yep SF plan is to ship the homeless out of the city to the burbs on BART. Utter nonsense. . .just wait you will see!
I look at that survey 26 million-dollar screw up by the Board of Supervisors, although I’m sure it makes them feel good that they spent a large amount of money to slap a Band-Aid on it. Being that I live only a mile or so from that hotel, for the last 30 years I have seen it Go from just the cheapest place in town to stay for the night, too a 24/7 drug and prostitution supermarket.
Being that a large number of the homeless population are mentally unstable. How does the county plan on preventing the inevitable fights stabbings shootings suicides. That are inevitable to occur as they did when it was a commercially Run Hotel.
Whoever owned land and the hotel, made out like a bandit. Getting top dollar for for the property and the building. I would question whether that hotel and its entire operation has made 26 million dollars. In Revenue.
I mean you had to have known this is going to happen no one wants to homeless in San Francisco and there’s way more people there which means they need to be moved somewhere and as everyone knows Pittsburgh is the shittiest city we have so of course they’re going to be moved there I’d recommend moving if you can Price is now are at a great price now You can move to another city
Nailed it
This world is shutting down. THANK GOD!
St John 3:16!
JESUS is Returning SOON to carry HIS Precious BRIDE away in the RAPTURE! ALLELUIA!
GET SAVED! STAY READY!
If you need help applying for the program you can check out the website because clearly you’re insane
Amen!!!
HOW Is a 45 + year old hotel worth $21.6 million dollars.
Are they going to put in a 24/7 mental health services office on-site?
This is going to create a huge draw on the resources of the Pittsburg Police, not to mention those of Contra Costa County Consolidated fire and ambulance services.
What is the current planned the county will use to keep the hundred and seventy four rooms from being turned into 174 drug deal and prostitution spaces? As the owners of Motel 6 and its parent company couldn’t figure out a way to prevent that from happening over the last 30 years.
Without a rigidly structured and enforced program. To keep the transitional part of this housing functional.
Who is going to bear the cost of sanitation and maintenance of this 45+ yeat old hotel. Are they going to hire lifeguards for the pool?
How does the County plan on handling feeding 174 people, are they going to get room service?
As usual with most government projects, the logistics have not been dealt with ahead of time. How does Contra Costa County going to prevent none temporary residence now hanging around to get the food and other services that are being offered to Temporary residents.
Will Dale be enhanced security to make sure that the temporary residents of the hotel do not bring their friends to stay with them. I had my name and address and some way to confirm that only the people who are assigned to a room are the ones actually there.
Who is going to bear the cost of the sanitation and maintenance of this hotel, we are already talking a 45-year-old building. Are they going to hire lifeguards for the pool? Who will be providing the on-site laundry and cleaning services. To make sure that the individual rooms and overall building do not turn into a cesspool of trash and squalor.. unlike Motel 6 that requires a security deposit before you can have a room. The county will not have the luxury of being able to recoup any costs should a room be destroyed or soiled to where it must be completely rebuilt or decontaminated..
It is my opinion that this is 21.6 million dollars Wasted by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. This will only be a temporary Band-Aid, before it turns into a large Financial burden on the city and county..
The authorization of the purchase price is up to $17.4 million. The additional funds are for operations for almost two years.
Waiting on copies of the appraisals by the county.
Allen Payton, Publisher
I hope veterans will get priority if this is available to men and women or it’s focused for domestic violence and single mothers over sober living programs.
Gus is right. No new taxes
It wont take long before a homeless person burns it to the ground.