Keep Oakland Housed, a partnership led by Mayor Libby Schaaf, the San Francisco Foundation, and nonprofit partners, was given the Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships by US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge and the Council on Philanthropy. Funded principally by the San Francisco Foundation, Crankstart, and Kaiser Permanente, and managed by Catholic Charities of the East Bay, East Bay Community Law Center, and Bay Area Community Services, Keep Oakland Housed has prevented thousands of Oakland households from falling into homelessness by providing one-time rental assistance, housing counseling, and legal services to at-risk families.
“This year’s awardees represent the great diversity of our nation and the tremendous need that exists in communities in every corner of our society,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “It is my pleasure to join our partners at the Council of Foundations in highlighting programs that are having a positive impact on people and communities across this nation.”
“I’m grateful to everyone who has made this innovative and impactful public-private partnership possible. Oaklanders should be proud that Keep Oakland Housed has earned this national recognition as a model for preventing homelessness – the most urgent crisis of our time. More than 6,000 Oakland households have been spared the devastating effects of homelessness since we launched our partnership in 2018,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “We owe it to them to continue expanding this partnership’s work until no one must fear losing this basic human need.”
“Keep Oakland Housed has been successful because it's centered on collaboration. In the partnership between its community-rooted nonprofits, the City of Oakland, and funders, there is a shared commitment to equity, the well-being of both the community and organizations, and the systems-level thinking necessary for change at scale,” said Demetrius Burnett, Senior Program Officer at the San Francisco Foundation. “The strength and heart of that collaboration is what's kept thousands of families housed in Oakland, and what's being studied by other regions interested in replicating this model."
“We are pleased to see the vital work of Keep Oakland Housed recognized as a model for preventing homelessness before it happens. We supported the program from the start because safe, stable housing is key to good health,” said Yvette Radford, vice president, External and Community Affairs, Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “We recognize the program’s common-sense and effective approach has helped thousands of residents facing displacement to remain in their homes.”
Since KOH’s launch in July 2018, the program has:
- Served 6,620 households
- At an average of 2.6 individuals per household in Oakland, that’s more than 17,000 individuals served
- Distributed more than $32 Million in financial assistance
- An average of $4,834 per household
The 2022 Secretary’s Award for Public-Philanthropic Partnerships was given to seven projects across the nation that demonstrated the power and impact of strategic collaboration with public sector partners, and have been successful at making communities stronger and more inclusive.
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