Keep Oakland Housed

The City of Oakland’s Keep Oakland Housed program is a coordinated strategy that has been assisting renters facing eviction and displacement since its launch in 2018. Renters with low incomes can obtain emergency rental assistance through the initiative, made possible through grants from Kaiser Permanente, Crankstart, and the San Francisco Foundation (SFF). Through a partnership with three nonprofit partners (Bay Area Community Services, Catholic Charities East Bay, and the East Bay Community Law Center), Keep Oakland Housed also provides legal representation, emergency financial services, and support services for those at risk of losing their homes. Those who are especially vulnerable, such as those who are at high risk of immediate homelessness or are in an otherwise unstable situation, can also receive comprehensive Housing Problem Solving support. 

Since launching in 2018, Keep Oakland Housed has served more than 7,000 households and distributed $67 million in financial assistance at an average cost of $5,400–$8,150 per household, with only 8% of participants becoming homeless again. The program is reaching those in underserved communities (51% of those served are Black, and 26% Latinx), and those who are especially vulnerable, with 61% of clients served identifying as women and 52% of households served including children. 

Due to the success of Keep Oakland Housed, the program has been replicated in Contra Costa County, Solano County, and Sonoma County, and has doubled the initial private investment from $9m to $18m and secured $150.3m in public funds.