Local
40 South Bay households face loss of housing aid after federal funding ends
Bay Area Community Health says it needs to replace more than $400,000 in annual federal funding before subsidies for 40 families end Oct. 30. San Jose’s mayor says the city cannot cover the shortfall and is looking to county emergency funds for help.
A sudden loss of more than $400,000 in federal funding has put housing subsidies for 40 South Bay families at risk, with support scheduled to end Oct. 30, Bay Area Community Health said.
The nonprofit health provider, which operates clinics from Hayward to Gilroy, learned about the funding loss roughly a week ago, according to its president and CEO, Dr. Zettie Page. The money supported the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS program.
The clinic has notified the affected families that their subsidies are ending, leaving little time to find replacement funds. Page said the organization is still working out what comes next. She said stable housing is an essential part of health care, particularly for people who are uninsured or underinsured and those with unstable employment.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city cannot make up the roughly $400,000 gap because of its own budget shortfalls. He said city leaders are talking with the South Bay congressional delegation and are seeking county Measure A funds designated for emergencies.
Mahan described the people at risk as medically vulnerable and said some have serious conditions that prevent them from working. He criticized the federal funding decisions, saying the local impact could leave people without homes.
The potential loss of housing comes as families head into colder weather and the holiday season. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had not responded to a request for comment at the time of the report.