Committee on the Shelterless (“COTS”)
The Committee on the Shelterless (“COTS”) has been serving Petaluma for over 30 years. COTS operates two shelters for individuals (Mary Isaak Center and Peoples Village) and one for families offering a total of 100 beds. They help people get and keep housing – including operation of the Keep People Housing homeless prevention program (a partnership of the City of Petaluma, City of Santa Rosa, County of Sonoma and nonprofit All Home), and providing case management support for permanent supportive housing program residents in Petaluma.
COTS Projects
Project Homekey – The Studios at Montero (COTS Providing Ongoing Case Management)
Like most cities across the country, some in our community experience homelessness. There are complex reasons that lead to homelessness and the City of Petaluma is committed to helping our most vulnerable and protecting our community.
In September 2021, the Petaluma City Council declared a shelter crisis in Petaluma in recognition of the urgent need for shelter faced by a significant and growing number of people in the community. Declaring a “crisis” empowers the City of Petaluma to take necessary steps to address these important issues.
We are pleased to announce that the City of Petaluma and Burbank Housing have been awarded $15,680,382 in State of California funding through its Project Homekey program. The award will support the creation of 60 single occupancy permanent supportive housing (PSH) units at the Studios at Montero (formerly America’s Best Value Inn Petaluma) at 5135 Montero Way in northeast Petaluma, and once completed will be the largest Homekey-funded PSH project in Sonoma County. To read the official public release, click here.
Project Information
Project Manager: Karen Shimizu, Housing Manager
Contact Information: [email protected]
Project Completion Date: October 2022
Budget: Housing and Community Development Grant $13.883 Million and County and City local match of $1.532 Million
Project Description
The Studios at Montero is located at 5135 Montero Way, Petaluma, CA. The property is two-story with two adjacent buildings connected by a catwalk. All units intended for residents are the same 207 square feet rooms with no separate bedroom and a single-use bathroom. The City of Petaluma and Burbank Housing are partnering to convert the site into a supportive housing project providing permanent homes for 60 people experiencing homelessness. All 60 of the units would be assisted units dedicated to people who meet the definition of “Chronically Homeless.”
Upon its completion, the Studios at Montero would provide housing for over 10% of the chronically homeless population in Sonoma County identified through the 2020 PIT count.
The project is located within walking distance of many amenities, including an active bus stop. It will be staffed by a full-time resident manager residing on-site in an existing manager's unit, night time security will be provided through its first year. Burbank Housing is partnering with the Committee on the Shelterless (COTS) to provide comprehensive supportive services to all project residents. COTS will lead the services team providing services to all residents through a Program Manager, Services Coordinator, three caseworkers, and a Clinical Supervisor.
Current Status
On March 10, 2020 Petaluma and Burbank Housing were officially awarded $15.6 Million in State Homekey funds.
Project Timeline
| Homekey Application Submitted | December 6th, 2021 |
| Homekey Award Issued | March 2022 |
| Purchase of 5135 Montero Way Motel site | March/April 2022 |
| General Contractor to be Selected | March 2022 |
| Building Permit Application to be Submitted | April 2022 |
| Issuance of Building Permits and Start of Rehabilitation Construction | May/June 2022 |
| Rehabilitation Construction Phase | June to October 2022 |
| Construction Completion and Start of Operations | October 2022 |
Petaluma People’s Village (COTS Providing Ongoing Case Management)
Homelessness is one of the most challenging issues facing Petaluma and communities throughout the country. The annual Sonoma County Point-in-Time Count provides a snapshot of how many people are experiencing homelessness on a given night. In Petaluma, 295 community members are experiencing homelessness, which includes 133 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
Petaluma is committed to caring for our unsheltered community and has increased our investment to provide services, case management, and a permanent path to housing. Our partners such as COTS, Downtown Streets Team (DST), Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC), and the Petaluma Health Center (PHC) collectively serve hundreds of people with wrap-around services such as meals, showers, employment counseling, mental health and substance use disorder services, and a host of other holistic case management services.
One of our most exciting projects of this year is People’s Village at the Mary Isaak Center. People’s Village is a City-funded project, in partnership with the County of Sonoma and COTS, to place 25 tiny homes on the COTS campus in Petaluma to provide shelter and services to people currently living in encampments. This project provides an alternative to traditional dorm-style shelters by providing non-congregate individual shelter units, while taking us forward on our path toward ending homelessness in Petaluma.
Taking Action to Address the Shelter Crisis
On September 13, 2021, our City Council declared a Shelter Crisis in Petaluma in recognition of the urgent need for shelter faced by a significant and growing number of people in our community. Declaring a “crisis” empowers us to take necessary steps to address these important issues.
Welcome to People's Village
We are thrilled to announce work is beginning on People’s Village at the Mary Isaac Center, and we anticipate welcoming our first residents to the village by late February 2022.
Before 2022, there was a gap within our system of care for those experiencing homelessness, in that our ability to reach and serve unsheltered individuals living in the encampments around Petaluma was limited. There are many challenges faced by residents experiencing homelessness, from domestic abuse and financial hardships to PTSD and various mental and physical health ailments. To serve all of our residents, the City of Petaluma, in partnership with COTS and the County of Sonoma, is launching the People’s Village – a site of 25 tiny home units that will provide temporary shelter to former encampment residents or other unsheltered individuals or couples.
Like the congregate shelter at the Mary Isaak Center, People’s Village will offer guests temporary shelter paired with case management to help them reach their housing and employment goals. The project has been a major team effort by many individual players and community partners.
Learn More
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