HIP Housing tells Daly City commissioners about programs to help seniors and low‑income workers find housing

Kevin Joyner, community outreach specialist at the nonprofit HIP Housing, told the Daly City Small Business Commission on April 9 that the group operates a range of programs to help workers, residents and seniors find and keep affordable housing in San Mateo County.

"We help workers, residents, and seniors find and maintain affordable housing options," Joyner said, describing HIP Housing's presence in the county for more than 50 years and saying the organization houses about 1,200 people annually.

Joyner outlined the Housing Resource Hub, an open enrollment service that sends weekly email bulletins of available rental units across San Mateo County and provides a step‑by‑step packet to help people sign up for RentCafe (the county's wait list), Haven Connect and Doorway, a low‑income housing search. He said the hub does not require qualifying criteria for enrollment.

He described the Housing Readiness Program as targeted case management for seniors: "for seniors who are 62 and up and are more on the low income end of things," Joyner said, adding the program will help with applications, budget review and protecting clients from online housing scams. Joyner offered to follow up on a commissioner question about how eligibility applies in two‑person households.

Joyner also reviewed HIP Housing's Self‑Sufficiency Program for low‑income parents and transitional‑aged youth, which pairs participants with a coordinator, subsidizes rent for one to five years while participants complete job or education programs, and provides financial literacy and career guidance classes. He said the program includes family shared homes and a scholarship to support independent living.

He emphasized HIP Housing's home‑sharing program — active since 1979 — which matches providers with rooms or accessory dwelling units to seekers, performs background checks and mediates living‑together agreements. "We do keep our rents in this program about $2,000 and below," Joyner said, and noted matches often last several years.

Joyner closed by listing property holdings and projects: he said HIP Housing manages about 501 below‑market units and highlighted a redevelopment in Downtown San Carlos that will create roughly 33 units. He left flyers for commissioners and offered to answer follow‑up questions.

The commission thanked Joyner for the presentation and asked him to provide eligibility clarifications for the senior program by the following Monday.

The commission did not take formal action on HIP Housing materials during the meeting; Joyner said detailed program information and sign‑up instructions are available on HIP Housing's website and Haven Connect.