HOUSING NOW
OUR "Housing Now" program fills a significant gap in affordable housing in Chico.
Butte County is currently experiencing an affordable housing crisis and it is very difficult for many people to find housing they can afford, especially for folks who are homeless and who have low-incomes or who are seniors, disabled, or formerly incarcerated. CHAT's Housing Now program fills some of that gap.
How it works:
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CHAT locates affordable multi-bedroom rental properties.
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We develop and maintain relationships with sympathetic property owners.
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We lease the homes as the master lessor, so the property owner is protected.
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We sub-lease bedrooms to individuals who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and charge market-rate rents.
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We provide supportive services like goal setting, financial management, and connections to community resources to residents who want them.
If you would like to be considered for this program, contact 211 and ask to be entered into their Coordinated Entry System.
As of October 1st, 2022, all Housing Now openings will be filled via the Coordinated Entry System. We're making this change from using direct applications to usng Coordinate Entry in order to streamline our processes as well as to increase the transparency and fairness in the application and selection process. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this important change to our selection process.
Specialized programs within Housing Now:
Harmony House: A Special Place
Harmony House is a special house that CHAT operates for people with mental health issues and who would benefit from special hands-on case management and supportive services.
Mercy House: A Place For Hope
A partnership with Faith Lutheran Church of Chico and Congregation Beth Israel
CHAT has long wanted to provide housing for the medically fragile individuals on our streets, and when we were approached by Pastor Ben Colahan of Faith Lutheran Church of Chico, we knew we had our answer. Pastor Colahan's mother made available a home for CHAT to lease to medically fragile folks and we quickly arranged to move in a couple of folks who were in danger of becoming more ill. We now have the house filled up with four lovely women who are all grateful to be safely housed and able to find a sense of community.
As of June 2021, we've leased a second "Mercy House" and will be moving in residents shortly. Members of Faith Lutheran Church and Chico synagogue Congregation Beth Israel will provide assistance for the residents. We are blessed to be working with both organizations.
If your church or organization has a house to lease to medically-fragile folks and would like to collaborate with CHAT, email us at info@chicohousingactionteam.net.
Redwood Housing
In a partnership agreement with California State University, Chico, starting in early 2020, we master-lease multi-bedroom houses and lease out the individual bedrooms to CSU students who are low-income or homeless.
We do not take applications for this program directly. Students in need of emergency housing should contact the Chico State Basic Needs Project at CSU and may be referred to CHAT.
We are delighted to report that our first Redwood Housing student, Kyle, graduated from CSU-Chico in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. His story is in our Spring 2021 Newsletter.
Veterans Housing
In a pioneering program in collaboration with the Chico Veterans Administration. we are master-leasing multi-bedroom houses and leasing rooms out to veterans at risk of becoming homeless. More information on the program will follow.
Wildflower Housing
When we had the good fortune to acquire a 12-bedroom building, we knew we had the makings to set up a new program we knew was needed, for folks with mental illness who had nowhere else to go. We began housing folks in this program in November 2021 and as of March 2022 it's now housing eight residents, with a dedicated case worker to help them with connecting with community resources, learning life skills, and sticking to their treatment plans. We plan to have the program bring in an additional four residents sometime in summer of 2022.
Do you have a rental property you'd
like to lease to CHAT?
If you are a landlord and would like to learn more about leasing your residential rental property to CHAT for the purpose of transitional or permanent supportive housing, please contact our Property Manager, Kris, at 530-399-3950. She can answer all your questions. Thanks for considering CHAT!