Recently, Habitat East Bay/Silicon Valley was honored to be awarded CalHome loans to build and repair affordable homes—from the last remaining funds in this program's coffers. These CalHome awards will be directly impactful and absolutely vital to the building of 48 new affordable homes, and the repair of many more. We're so grateful for these awards that will help make affordable homeownership a reality for so many. We know, first hand, how life-changing CalHome funding is—and why it's imperative that we save this program for the future. And with the Governor's recent budget proposal providing no funding for CalHome, it's at serious risk of closing the door on countless Californians still working to achieve and sustain homeownership.
CalHome is a crucial component of the funding mix we rely on in order to move forward with our work. For years, CalHome has proven to be an effective, highly leveraged tool that has brought homeownership within reach for thousands of Californians. Funds like these can make the difference between project plans and shovels in the ground. Here's where these recent CalHome awards will be put to work.
While 23 families have been living their new chapters as homeowners at Esperanza Place in Walnut Creek, they're also awaiting their future neighbors. Nineteen homes still remain to be built in the final phase of construction—and this $1M in CalHome loan funding ensures that this neighborhood can come fully to fruition.
An additional $5M in CalHome funds will make homeownership possible for 29 families across two neighborhoods we currently have in the pre-development process. With these awards, we can move forward with confidence in planning these beautiful, affordable new communities.
CalHome not only builds new affordable ownership housing, it also provides funds for repairs. We'll be putting a $4M CalHome award to good use providing critical repairs for limited-income homeowners in Alameda and Santa Clara counties.
On January 9, Governor Newsom proposed the 2026-2027 California State Budget. This proposal has $0 allocated for the future of CalHome. While we are honored by our recent awards and eager to get those dollars working in our communities—we are determined that we cannot close the door behind the people and families this funding will benefit. CalHome is the only state program that provides funding for building and preserving affordable ownership housing. If we fail to invest in its future, that is countless dreams left unrealized. Countless opportunities lost for improved health, finances, education, and social outcomes. Countless foundations for generational wealth left un-built.
That's why we'll be fighting hard to save CalHome. All the families who have changed their lives through affordable homeownership—they cannot be the last ones.We'll need you with us. Sign up for Advocacy Alerts to be the first to know how you can take action that holds our leaders accountable and helps us build more.