“The first step toward health is housing, and DHHS will continue to do our part to work with tenants to maintain safe and secure housing."

(City of Rio Dell)

The City of Rio Dell and Humboldt County sent out press releases about River Bluff Cottages today.

County:

Thanks to a joint effort between Danco Communities, Partnership HealthPlan of California (PHC) and the Humboldt County Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) on this project, more people are now in housing.

River Bluff includes 26 free-standing units with an on-site manager and a community room with a kitchen and computer room. Case management and other supportive services are also available to residents. The project was years in the making, and DHHS case managers helped residents move in earlier this month.

DHHS Director Connie Beck said department staff has appreciated working with Danco, Partnership and the City of Rio Dell to secure housing for people experiencing homelessness in Humboldt County.

“The first step toward health is housing, and DHHS will continue to do our part to work with tenants to maintain safe and secure housing,” Beck said.

Chloe Schafer, PHC’s Northwest regional manager, agrees. “Being healthy doesn’t start when a member is in the exam room or at the emergency room, it starts with everyday life and the factors that affect an individual’s choices,” she said. “Without a roof over your head and a safe place to sleep, it’s difficult to make your health a priority.”

This is not the first time DHHS has partnered with Danco on low-income housing. In 2017, The Lodge at Eureka opened with 50 units for area seniors.

DHHS is also working with Danco and other community partners on a 50-unit multilevel building in Eureka for veterans and Mental Health clients with serious mental illness who are homeless or near homelessness and an 80-unit, low-income housing development in Samoa for families.

Danco President Chris Dart said affordable housing is necessary. “We know that access to housing is a major economic development in our communities and we are happy to be part of that growth,” he said.

Beck and Schafer agree that following the housing first model, which prioritizes rapid placement and stabilization in permanent housing and does not have service participation requirements or preconditions, benefits not only individual residents but the whole community.

“By supporting projects that address homelessness and housing security, we are taking important steps to help our communities be healthy,” Schafer said.

Rio Dell:

On Tuesday,  February  18,  2020  members  of  the  Rio  Dell  City  Council,  city  and  county  staff,  Supervisor  Fennel and  members of  the  public  attended  the  ribbon  cutting  ceremony  for  River  Bluff  Cottages  in  Rio  Dell.  The cottages  are  a  public‐private  partnership  between  the  County  of  Humboldt  and  the  DANCO  Group  to  provide supportive  housing  to  area  residents  in  need.  Visitors  as  well  as  residents  explored  the  facility  to  celebrate  the occasion.

“We received  a  personal  tour  from  a  resident  named  Michael  who  graciously  opened  up  his  new  home  to  us.” Stated  Rio  Dell  City  Manager  Kyle  Knopp.  “Michael  had  been  a  former  Rio  Dell  resident.  We  also  got  to  hear from  Dwayne,  an  impeccably  dressed  man  who  had  been  living  out  of  the  back  of  a  pickup  for  years.”


The  project  consists  of  twenty‐six  1‐bedroom  and  2‐bedroom  units  accompanied  by  multi‐purpose  rooms  and offices  for  staff  from  the  Department  of  Health  and  Human  Services  (DHHS).  Residents  will  receive  ongoing supportive  services  from  DHHS  staff  with  a  live‐in  manager.  It  is  one  of  the  first  such  housing  units  in  this region  of  the  state.  “We hope this  will  be  a  model  development  that  other  cities  and  counties  can  look  to  as  an  example  of  how this  kind  of  housing  not  only  works  but  can  also  be  a  welcome  addition  to  any  community,  urban  or  rural.” stated  City  Manager  Kyle  Knopp.

“The  responsibility  for  a  positive  outcome  of  this  supportive  housing  project belongs  with  the  County  and  the  Danco  Group.  After  working  with  the  managers  on  both  sides  of  this  publicprivate  partnership,  I  can  say  they’re  off  to  a  great  start.  And  this  project  will  be  closely  watched  by  other cities  in  the  region  and  beyond.” Next  month,  the  City  plans  to  host  a  regional  meeting  of  city  leaders  to  discuss  housing.  In  March  of  last  year, Rio  Dell  Mayor  Debra  Garnes  met  with  Governor  Gavin  Newsom  to  discuss  housing  in  Rio  Dell,  including  a discussion  on  the  River  Bluff  Cottages  project.