As the latest official reports indicate, the number of homeless people in Kern County rose significantly by 37% in 2024 from 2023. According to the Point In Time count report,
of the nearly 2,700 homeless, 25% are Latinos. Most of the homeless in Kern County are single men between the ages of 25 and 44, and present in every community. This is one of the largest one-year increases Kern County has experienced since the Department of Housing and Urban Development started collecting data in 2007. Additionally, this year's increase follows a 22% jump from the previous year, 2022.
While the reasons for homelessness vary, the lack of affordable housing is not only affecting more Latino families but also impacting their physical and mental health.
Help in building more badly needed affordable housing is coming from an unlikely source---healthcare providers.
The state's Housing and Homeless Incentive Program, (HHIP) offers Medi-Cal-managed healthcare providers the opportunity to earn incentive funds for building partnerships with homeless care systems. The program offers $1.3 billion of one-time funds available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. And healthcare providers can earn those funds by investing in solutions to homelessness. At least one healthcare provider, Akido Labs of Los Angeles has contributed around $300,000 to the Kern County Housing Authority to complete an affordable housing project in east Bakersfield.
"We believe that stable housing is a key factor in a person's long-term health," wrote Sharna Daduk in an email. She is the public information officer for Akido Labs. "We run a street medicine program in Bakersfield, and bring this care to more rural areas of Kern County. We form partnerships with local agencies, such as Kern County Health Systems, The Open Door Network, and others. We have a local team from Bakersfield dedicated to caring for people in their hometowns," added Daduk.
The two-story development housing project called Oregon Street Apartments is located in a predominantly Latino area on Oregan and Sterling streets. Under Housing Authority guidelines, tenants will pay 30% of their income for rent. The units are small, around 500 square feet, with one bedroom and one bath. Originally scheduled to open in August of this year, the project is behind schedule and Housing Authority officials have not said when the project might be ready to open for the public. Ironically, this project is located next to a former homeless encampment site which has since been cleared. Construction crews continue to work diligently under high temperatures to finish the units.
And that's not all, as Akido Labs also contributed around $2,000,000 for a separate housing project. That project, called Haley Street Apartments is three and a half miles away from the Oregan Street Apartments. Located on the corner of Haley and Height streets, the site is fenced off and construction has not yet begun. This will have 40 homeless units and is expected to be open in 2025. According to the Kern County Housing Authority, both housing projects would not have been made possible without the financial help from the HIIP program. Other counties around the state are taking advantage of the HIIP funds to provide similar services for their homeless population. The funding from Akido Labs played a critical role in ensuring the completion of both housing projects.
"In both cases, the funding provided critical gap financing for the developments," said Stephen Pelz, executive director of Kern County Housing Authority.
Yet the construction of new affordable housing is not keeping up with the demand. According to affordable housing advocates, the stress of homelessness can also seriously harm individuals’ mental well-being. Research by the California Budget and Policy Center and other organizations shows that the trauma of experiencing homelessness can cause people to develop mental health problems for the first time and can worsen existing behavioral health challenges. The longer time spent without a home is linked to higher levels of mental distress and more damage from coping behaviors like substance use.
According to state figures, Blacks are at a greater risk of experiencing homelessness along with Native Americans and Pacific Islanders. A growing body of evidence indicates that the number one driver of the state's homelessness problem is a severe shortage of affordable housing, especially among people with the lowest incomes.
But questions remain. While the 1.3 billion dollar grant money from the state is helpful to build new housing units, there is no guarantee the funding will continue in future years.
Kern Housing Authority has been able to secure monies from other sources.
"In late 2022, we received funding awards from Kern Health Systems to help complete our two Cornerstone properties in Oildale that together provide 34 homes for former foster youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness," said Pelz. " We also received funding to help complete the CityServe housing development (called Elevate Apartments) nearing completion in Bakersfield. The awards are a recognition by the healthcare system of the important connection between housing and health."
This content is supported through funding administered by the Latino Media Collaborative.
Jose Gaspar is a former news anchor and reporter for Telemundo Bakersfield and KGET. Email elcompa29@gmail.com.