STAY Well Housing
Thank you for your interest in the Stay Well Housing program. Stay Well is a permanent housing program for Transition Age Youth (TAY) ages 18 to 25 who have a diagnosed mental health disability. We identify studio and one bedroom apartments throughout Alameda County for program participants. Abode Services works with landlords throughout the county, serving as the master tenant and then subleasing units to participants in the Stay Well Housing Program.
In addition to having a diagnosed mental health disability, applicants
must also be homeless, according to HUD homeless definitions,
prior to submitting an application and throughout the intake
process. Note, HUD homeless definitions do not
include staying with family or friends. Finally, it should be
noted that Stay Well is targeting single individuals as
applicants.
Available on this website are a Stay Well Housing application
and a
Program Flyer. Please follow the application directions
carefully, as incomplete applications can delay the intake
process. The intake process will begin only after completed and
full applications are submitted. You can fax completed
applications to (510)-638-9280 or mail them to Abode Services
114 Garcia Avenue San Leandro, CA 94577. Please send completed
applications to the attention of Bill Schrecker, Service
Coordinator.
- Application Checklist
- Application
- Integrated Services and Support Plan
- Authorization for the Release of Information and Privacy Notice
Here are some helpful hints to follow to ensure a complete
application.
- Follow the application checklist document to ensure that all needed paperwork is submitted.
- For the verification of qualifying disability... It cannot be emphasized enough that acceptable documentation is a letter, written by a mental health clinician with the ability to diagnose mental illness AND using language that includes the words "disabling condition," to describe the client's diagnosis. Any background information, such as length of time working with the client or anticipated future involvement with the client, would be helpful.
- For the verification of homelessness... Someone with firsthand knowledge of the client's current living situation can write a letter to serve as verification of his/her homelessness. HUD homeless definitions include staying in one's automobile, in a shelter, in a transitional housing program, or on the streets, or any place not meant for human habitation. If the client is in a shelter or other residential program, a staff member at that agency should write this verification letter. Of final note to those in transitional housing programs, a second piece of documentation that provides proof of homelessness prior to entry into that program is required.
- For the verification of income.... If the client has no income currently, a service provider can write a letter stating his or her knowledge of the client's level of income and/or a client's efforts to secure income to serve as such verification. Otherwise, proof of income is required, such as a benefits statement or a paycheck stub.
- Email with any application questions, big or small, at any point throughout your work on an application. Stay Well staff is best reached at bschrecker@abodeservices.org.
In regards to a timeline for the application process, once a
full application is submitted, an individual is placed on the
wait list. When the name reaches the top of our wait list, we
will contact the applicant, and the intake interview process
begins. Four intake meetings take place to complete interviews
and paperwork. Based on a one meeting per week average, it would
take 3 to 4 weeks to be approved into the program.
Once approved into Stay Well, the housing specialist begins
looking for an apartment based on the applicant's preferences.
The applicant will meet with the housing specialist to view
prospective units until he or she is satisfied. The timeline to
move-in after an individual has been approved can easily take up
to 2 months, and applicants should be aware of this interim
period to enter housing after having been accepted into the
program.
"Stay Well for me means a place to be safe and independent. Weekly support is very helpful to me. It's not just throwing people into an apartment with no direction. It's help, guidance, and teaching you how to get on your feet." -- Shalandra Cotton
