Expanding Affordable Housing Services

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In Silicon Valley housing prices are at the highest they’ve ever been, putting incredible pressure on individuals’ and families’ finances. That’s even more the case for our clients, the vulnerable and underserved populations of our community.

Despite the challenge of affordability, The Health Trust Housing Services is working to secure safe, decent and sanitary homes for our clients. Trang Van has been promoted to be the new Director of Housing Services at The Health Trust.

Along with her team she has been working to improve and expand the housing services offered , and is exploring potential collaborations and partnerships to meet unmet housing needs in the community. Van’s earlier experience working in Health Trust Housing Services will be essential in overseeing and leading the program. For the last three years Van has managed the HIV housing program, which serves 150
households a year, and has operated two short term housing programs. The 2 year transitional housing program specifically focuses on low income individual’s transition to become self sufficient and to increase their job skills. The second program offers 6 month short term rental assistance, which helps clients by paying a flat rate towards rent, in return requiring the participant to put the same amount into a savings account. By helping clients with rent payments and simultaneously helping them save, the rental assistance program sets clients up with a safety net upon completion.

Currently, one of Housing Services’ major challenges is the red housing market. Because the vacancy rates in Santa Clara County are low and the rental rates high, The Health Trust is exploring creative ways to obtain more housing units.

Because The Health Trust understands that renting units is a business for landlords, Housing Services staff work diligently to foster partnerships with them by offering excellent customer service. By working with landlords directly to form a working partnership,Housing Services is able to provide on time rent payments and reliable follow up support services to their tenants and and provide a secure, clean home to
low-income individuals and families.

In addition, our portfolio of services not only helps people find and maintain stable housing, but also offers coordinated care with other services to improve the overall health status of individuals and families.

If you are a landlord looking for a stable tenant partnership and want to make a difference in the community to help others get back to a healthy self-sustaining lifestyle, please contact Housing Services at 408.961.9823 or HousingServices@healthtrust.org.