In an announcement posted March 11, 2026, the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) said its nonprofit San Joaquin Regional Housing Fund Inc. has surpassed $13 million, following a $5 million grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and a $3 million grant from Health Net. The fund supports local efforts to increase the construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income households throughout the region.
The HCD grant, announced by Governor Gavin Newsom's office on December 31, joins $5 million in matching local funds from Measure K Smart Growth incentives approved by the SJCOG Board of Directors and a $75,000 contribution from the San Joaquin Community Foundation.
Where the $13 Million Came From
- $5 million — California Department of Housing and Community Development, announced Dec. 31
- $5 million — Measure K Smart Growth matching funds, approved by the SJCOG Board
- $3 million — Health Net
- $75,000 — San Joaquin Community Foundation
"The regional housing fund and these grants give us leveraging power to get dollars into local housing projects faster and attract more public and private investment to the region," Stockton Mayor and SJCOG Board Chair Christina Fugazi said.
A Small Piece of a Much Larger State Program
The HCD award was part of $53.4 million in Local Housing Trust Fund grants distributed to 23 applicants across 18 counties. These awards to housing trusts and related programs totaled $281 million statewide.
The Health Net Money — and the Health Argument for Housing
Health Net selected the San Joaquin Regional Housing Fund Inc. for the grant to support ongoing efforts to shore up housing stability, health outcomes, and community well-being in San Joaquin County. "One of the key drivers of health is housing and, more specifically, stable, affordable housing," Health Net's Senior Director and Northern California Medi-Cal Regional Lead Vernell Shaw III told the SJCOG Board at its December meeting.
What the Fund Is For
San Joaquin Regional Housing Fund Inc. is a nonprofit agency approved by the SJCOG Board of Directors to financially support local efforts in construction, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income families in San Joaquin County. A core objective, according to SJCOG, is to attract philanthropic, private, and public investment to expand housing opportunities across the region.
Whether $13 million in seed and matching funds translates into meaningfully more housing built, and how quickly, will depend on which projects the SJCOG Board of Directors — which approved the establishment of the fund — chooses to back and how fast that money reaches the ground. SJCOG's own news feed shows related announcements continuing to land: on July 14, 2026, one day before this article published, the agency posted a separate item titled "Nearly $12 million to be used to unlock 421 affordable homes across San Joaquin County". DFP has not yet confirmed whether that funding traces back to the Regional Housing Fund or to a separate program, and we will report on that connection once it is verified.
Dismal Freedom Press will continue tracking the Regional Housing Fund's disbursements and the projects it finances, including the relationship between this fund and the newer July 14 announcement noted above. If you have documents related to the fund's grant applications, board decisions, or project pipeline, we want to hear from you.