Homekey+ award backs Ramkabir motel conversion in Bakersfield to 30 PSH homes
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On July 23, 2026, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced Homekey+ awards that include support for Bakersfield’s Ramkabir Permanent Supportive Housing Project. HCD says the plan will convert a 38-room Ramkabir motel into 30 permanent supportive homes, with 15 units reserved for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness with behavioral health challenges.
What HCD’s Homekey+ award says will happen at Ramkabir
Homekey+ is meant to fund permanent supportive housing—stable housing paired with supportive services for people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness and have mental health or substance use challenges.
In Bakersfield, HCD’s Homekey+ announcement places the Ramkabir project in that permanent supportive housing lane. According to HCD, the conversion is from motel rooms to permanent homes: 38 motel rooms will be reworked into 30 permanent supportive homes. HCD also specifies that 15 of those homes are reserved for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness with behavioral health challenges.
The Homekey+ rules that affect timelines and long-term affordability
The award itself is a major milestone, but HCD’s posted Homekey+ timeline and eligibility guidance are what neighbors and prospective residents can point to for what comes next operationally.
Two provisions are especially relevant for communities:
- Affordability term: HCD says all Homekey+ permanent supportive housing (PSH) project types require a 55-year affordability term.
- Project completion deadline for acquisition/rehabilitation: For acquisition or rehabilitation projects, HCD lists a completion timeline of 12 months plus 60 days from the date of award.
HCD also lists a “standard agreement execution” milestone within 5 months of an award, which is part of the paperwork/implementation steps before work can proceed under the program.
What neighbors may notice next on Union Avenue
Because this Homekey+ award is for a motel-to-permanent-supportive-housing conversion, the changes neighbors may expect are tied to that scope: the property transitioning from motel operations to permanent residential use, along with upgrades and coordination needed to support supportive-service delivery tied to the program’s PSH goal.
For community members trying to plan how this may affect the area, the most practical “what to watch” items are project milestone updates that align with HCD’s posted schedule—especially when the project moves past early program paperwork milestones and later reaches the acquisition/rehabilitation completion timeline.
Background: why the Ramkabir property has been in local news
Local reporting from 23ABC has described the City of Bakersfield’s purchase of the Ramkabir Motel on Union Avenue as an effort to turn the property into affordable housing. That coverage also notes the motel was closed after a fire and remained vacant, alongside community concerns about safety and neighborhood conditions in the area.
While older local coverage discussed different renovation plans, HCD’s Homekey+ award announcement is the definitive source for this state-funded PSH conversion’s figures: 38 motel rooms becoming 30 permanent supportive homes, including 15 veteran-reserved units.
What to watch next in Bakersfield
After a Homekey+ award, the remaining steps typically include state implementation paperwork, local coordination, and property conversion/rehabilitation work. Based on HCD’s posted Homekey+ timeline guidance, residents can watch for milestone updates that align with:
- Standard agreement execution within 5 months of award
- Acquisition/rehabilitation completion of 12 months plus 60 days from the date of award
- Ongoing 55-year affordability requirements for the PSH units created under Homekey+
As those milestones come into focus, neighbors’ most useful questions are often less about the award announcement itself and more about when the project is transitioning from “construction/rehab phase” into full-time resident operations and PSH service delivery.
Sources
- California HCD newsroom: Homekey+ awards announced July 23, 2026 (includes Bakersfield Ramkabir details)
- 23ABC Bakersfield: Motel on Union Avenue purchased by the City to be turned into affordable housing (local background)
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