MPUSD Partners with Motel 6 to Establish a First of its Kind Short-Term Emergency Housing Program for Students Experiencing Homelessness
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2022
Contact:
Marci McFadden, Chief of Communications & Engagement
831-706-6971
MPUSD Partners with Motel 6 to Establish a First of its Kind
Short-Term Emergency Housing Program for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Monterey, CA – The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education last night approved an agreement with the Motel 6 at two locations Marina, located at 100 Reservation Road, and Monterey, located at 2124 N. Fremont Street, to provide short-term emergency housing for MPUSD students experiencing homelessness.
“The ability to provide secure temporary housing for our students and their families who are facing economic hardships is significant,” said PK Diffenbaugh, Superintendent, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. “More than 20% of our students are experiencing homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act*, and this is a big step to ensuring that no family will have to struggle to find temporary housing if they fall on hard times.”
This unique partnership program is fully funded through the American Rescue Plan II grant provided by the California Department of Education, and is the first of its kind in the state. Through Motel 6’s corporate plus program, the district will be billed directly through an online portal system based on preferred daily rates for weekdays and weekends at a cost not to exceed $20,000 for the period April 20, 2022 through June 30, 2022. The rates are $79.99+ tax Thursday - Sunday, and $149.99+ tax Friday and Saturday.
“MPUSD has emerged as a leader in providing unique partnerships to better serve students experiencing homelessness,” said Michelle Francois, Senior Director of Compassionate Education Systems at the National Center for Youth Law, who partners with MPUSD to provide homeless liaisons who serve each of the district’s high schools. “Through this partnership, we will be able to remove the red tape that often inhibits families from being sheltered when they face the sudden need to find temporary housing.”
Many students and their families experience short-term housing due to eviction, the high cost of living on the Central Coast, loss of a job, fleeing domestic violence, loss of a family member, impact at local shelters, immigration status, or loss of a home due to fire. Students are usually referred by a teacher, staff member or school site administrator.
In order to qualify, students must:
- Be an MPUSD student (family)
- Be eligible for McKinney-Vento services
- Live or reside with the family when requesting services
- Student/Family will work with MPUSD community liaison or social worker during the process
- Not have any other alternative housing option
“The MPUSD liaison or social worker will help guide the student and family through the process,” said Donnie Everett, Assistant Superintendent, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. “Our team gathers information and assesses if family circumstances meet the qualifications. If they do, our team supports booking the Motel 6 stay, as well as helping the family to identify long-term housing solutions.”
By the Numbers: Percent of MPUSD Students Experiencing Homelessness
MPUSD Students: 22% (2,087 students out of 9,295 student population)
Percent of MPUSD Students Experiencing Homelessness by Learning Community
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About Monterey Peninsula Unified School District
The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District is home to approximately 9,600 students in grades transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. The district also houses preschool and adult education. The district is built on a solid foundation of effective instruction, positive school culture, systems of support, and collaborative leadership. The district is nestled along the Monterey Bay, and stretches from the city of Marina to the north to the city of Monterey to the south, and includes the communities of Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Sand City and Seaside.
* What is McKinney-Vento?
Homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition also includes:
- Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
- Children and youth who may be living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, shelters
- Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
- Children and you who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above