SAN DIEGO – A grant to provide funding for the rehabilitation of buildings to house formerly incarcerated people as they are released from state prison was approved for release today by the Board of State and Community Corrections.

The $15 million fund is part of the 2018 Adult Reentry Grant, which is designed to help people successfully transition out of prison by providing stable housing and other reentry service opportunities.

The Board approved release of the Request for Proposals, which will be posted on the BSCC website beginning Sept. 13, 2019. Proposals are due back on Nov. 1, 2019.

The money can be used only to rehab existing structures, not for new construction. Applicants must own and hold title to the property, and must agree to house the target population until at least Jan. 20, 2030.

Applicants must be community-based organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Organizations can apply for a minimum of $2 million and a maximum of $5 million and must be able to provide a cash match of 20 percent of the grant award. The project must not result in the displacement of tenants or businesses.

The Budget Act of 2018 appropriated $50 million in one-time funding to help ease peoples’ transition from state prison to communities by increasing the available amount of transitional housing. It also made $25 million available for rental assistance and $9.3 million to support the “warm hand-off” and reentry of people as they transition.

This last $15 million portion for the rehabilitation of property was pulled out to allow the BSCC additional time to evaluate state housing laws and regulations.

Funding is scheduled to be awarded at the Board’s Jan. 23, 2020 meeting, and grants should begin on February 1.

For more information about the grant and process please contact Field Representative Colleen Stoner at 916-324-9385 or colleen.stoner@bscc.ca.gov

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