ANAHEIM, Calif. (Oct. 19. 2022) — Formerly homeless residents have started moving into a former Anaheim motel that has undergone near-term conversion as interim housing and will ultimately become long-term apartment homes with supportive services.
For the next year, 96 residents, including couples, will live in 87 converted rooms at the former motel Studio 6 motel at Harbor Boulevard and the Riverside (91) Freeway in north Anaheim along the city line with Fullerton.
Now known as North Harbor Anaheim, the former motel will be home to 63 residents formerly homeless in Anaheim and 33 formerly homeless in other north Orange County cities.
Rooms have been converted with updated bathrooms and new kitchenettes, microwaves, TVs and cabinets.
About 10 residents have moved in so far since Oct. 19 with about five new residents moving in each day.
The motel conversion is part of Anaheim’s county-leading effort to address homelessness, which includes daily outreach to those living in homelessness, shelters, extensive services and long-term supportive, affordable housing.
North Harbor Anaheim is the city’s first motel conversion under California’s Homekey program for converting motels and other properties to housing to alleviate homelessness.
The project draws on $26.5 million in state Homekey funding, $6.5 million in funding from the Anaheim Housing Authority and $3.9 million in funding from the county of Orange.
Funding has gone toward the $18 million city purchase of the former Studio 6 motel in mid-2022 as well as conversion to interim housing.
It is Anaheim’s second motel conversion after 2021’s Buena Esperanza, a former west Anaheim motel now serving as supportive housing for about 75 formerly homeless residents.
North Harbor Anaheim also is the city’s 15th community dedicated entirely to affordable housing with supportive services. You can see more at Anaheim.net/affordable.
Along with state and county partners, Anaheim is working with Long Beach-based nonprofit developer Linc Housing Corp. on the conversion to interim and long-term housing and Midway City-based nonprofit American Family Housing to provide services to residents.
North Harbor Anaheim will provide immediate relief from homelessness for residents for the next year.
Residents previously lived on the streets or in vehicles and were identified through ongoing case work by Anaheim’s social worker outreach team, known as the Community Care Response Team.
In late 2023, interim residents will move to other Anaheim housing as North Harbor Anaheim undergoes final conversion to long-term affordable housing with supportive services with expanded rooms and community spaces.
As with other Anaheim affordable housing, North Harbor Anaheim will improve the area where it is located and be a good neighbor for nearby homes and businesses.
North Harbor Anaheim will be professionally run and managed with rules and guidelines for residents.
That’s in contrast to how it once operated as a low-budget motel. The former Studio 6, which dates back to 1984, had a negative impact on the area in recent years with drug use, human trafficking and prostitution and other issues.
You can see a fact sheet on North Harbor Anaheim here.