FESCO's Transitional Housing Project

FESCO operates four rental units next door to the Shelter for use as transitional housing with supportive services. The units have been extensively renovated and are now occupied by four deserving families.

Why Transitional Housing?

A typical 6-week Shelter stay is not always long enough for homeless families to resolve the issues that lead to homelessness. Extended supportive housing that a family—while still part of FESCO’s structure and programs—can rent for 6 to 18 months at very low rates can be a big help.

Families are the largest and fastest-growing category of homelessness. Almost 6,000 families experienced an episode of homelessness during 1994; these families included nearly 12,000 children. There is a need for about 115 transitional beds in the Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, San Leandro area.

Why Is FESCO Going Out on a Limb?

From our perspective, the transitional housing program was just meant to be.

1. The property is right next door to the Shelter. Our staff can literally keep an eye on the property from the Shelter upstairs windows! So, FESCO is able to add greater depth to our program without additional staff. We can offer four families at a time a better chance to move toward fully independent living.
2. FESCO has been blessed to have received grants to purchase the property, to completely renovate the units, and to run the program for the first few years.
3. FESCO has already been very successful in getting families into their own housing — 55 - 65% in each of the last five years, after a brief Shelter stay (average 45 days). And FESCO continues providing follow-up services for those families after they move out of the Shelter. There are currently 185 families on FESCO’s caseload. So, FESCO is already involved in a kind of transitional housing effort; this new program is just an additional dimension of the work that FESCO has been doing in our community for the past 10 years.

Who Lives in the Transitional Housing Units?

Families eligible for FESCO’s transitional housing program usually are chosen from among FESCO's short-term Shelter residents. These families have demonstrated during their 1 - 3 month Shelter stay that they have the motivation and strength to progress toward independent living. Many of the parents are engaged in job training or other skills development programs. They receive guidance and support services throughout their transition.

Of course, candidates for transitional housing must be free from substance abuse or other destructive behaviors.

A Plus for the Neighborhood

We believe that FESCO’s transitional housing project is a big plus for the neighborhood. The two buildings, which had been quite rundown, were completely rehabilitated inside and out. FESCO has the support and advice of both Alameda County Housing and Community Development and the City of Hayward. We have transformed a blighted property into one that the community can be proud of.

Our "new" Transitional Housing community was dedicated June 10, 1999.