$21.5 million in public funds for 540 micro-apartments for homeless adults with disabilities; on-site services provided
Originally built by grandfather, renovated by grandson 56 years later
By Contra Costa Health
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and Contra Costa Health (CCH) hosted a grand opening for El Portal Place, a 54-unit micro-unit apartment building for homeless adults with disabilities, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. The project is the second completed in Contra Costa using state Homekey project funding, as well as funding from the county’s Measure X half-cent sales tax. The event began with prepared comments by elected and CCH homeless services officials followed by guided site tours. will be on hand to interview regarding the project.
Contra Costa County has transformed the vacant office building at 2555 El Portal Drive to serve some of the county’s most vulnerable residents with permanent supportive housing that includes onsite services such as case management, community supports, and referrals to services such as behavioral health, benefits assistance, and healthcare.
According to Overaa Construction, the builder responsible for the renovations, the design-build, adaptive reuse project reimagined an old, two-level, 27,000 square-foot office building as small homes for 60 individuals. Jerry Overaa built the original office building in 1968 and fifty-six years later, his grandson, Jared, spearheaded its conversion. The architectural design for the project was by Studio T Square and Base Landscape architects. (See project video)
“El Portal Place is an innovative project connecting people in desperate need with quality housing and services to improve their health,” said District 1 Supervisor Gioia, whose district includes San Pablo. “We appreciate our strong partnership with the City of San Pablo, and the continued support from Governor Gavin Newsom. These homes help us achieve equity and improved health for county residents.”
The facility will become the first built by the county specifically for residents who meet federal criteria for chronic homelessness, meaning they have been unhoused for a long period of time and have disabilities that prevent them from maintaining permanent housing on their own.
When tenants arrive later this summer, each will live in a micro-unit apartment with bathroom, kitchenette and workspace, in a complex with a community room, courtyard, garden and dog park. Onsite staff will assist in coordinating a comprehensive range of services for residents, supported by federal and state funding.
“Providing stability for people experiencing homelessness not only lifts up those served, but it also lifts our entire community,” said Federal Glover, chair of the county Board of Supervisors. “El Portal Place is an example of putting public funds to work to do something about homelessness.”
Contra Costa’s Measure X, approved by county voters in 2020, contributed $5.2 million toward the project, to go along with a $16 million grant from California’s Homekey program, resulting in a cost of slightly more than $398,000 per unit.
A separate $21.5 million award helped the county build the first project, Delta Landing, a 172-unit interim housing site in Pittsburg, in 2022.
“Contra Costa, like all of California, is experiencing a profound housing crisis. Every partnership, collaboration, and new idea to address homelessness is crucial,” said Anna Roth, CEO of Contra Costa Health.
Contra Costa’s point-in-time survey of homelessness in the county in January estimated 2,843 people experiencing homelessness in the county on any given night, an increase of 18.5% from the previous year’s estimate. The county increased its daily capacity of temporary and permanent housing beds by 26% during the same period.
People who need assistance with housing in Contra Costa County can call 211 to reach CCH’s CORE homeless outreach team.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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