# Concord makes concessions to push motel-to-homeless housing project ahead > Source: > Published: 2026-06-25 20:40:36+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...CONCORD — Hoping to keep what they see as a critical supportive housing project on track, Concord councilmembers agreed to provide new concessions to the nonprofit organization overseeing the site operations and the owner of the hotel that will be converted into housing. As part of a one-time $5 million funding effort in 2024, Concord councilmembers granted the Contra Costa County housing nonprofit Hope Solutions a $760,000 grant to convert the Valley Motel on Clayton Road to supportive housing. A dozen rooms are currently being renovated into studio apartments with full kitchens. Once open, the program will provide transitional housing and on-site services to people who are chronically homeless and struggling with drug addiction, mental health or all types of disabilities. But facing funding issues, including unexpected costs and rising expenses, both Hope Solutions and the owners of the Valley Motel asked the city for adjustments to the original agreement. Rather than 24-hour desk clerk coverage from Thursday evening through Monday morning, Hope Solutions sought to change staff coverage to a desk clerk covering Thursday through Sunday from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and a resident monitor who would work from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Monday to Wednesday. A case or property manager would work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Valley Motel was seeking to either waive a park land fee worth $123,662 or to enter into a payment plan beginning two years after receiving a certificate of occupancy. They expect to have the site operational within 6 months. “We’re trying to get this thing done,” said project architect Robert Cooley at a council meeting on Tuesday. “Time is money and this is really as serious as it gets because we’re trying to make really good things happen for people’s lives who are well deserving.” He said the property owners are committed to the project. Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister expressed concerns about the site going unmonitored during evening hours and how the city would recoup its money if the property owner was unable to pay in the future, or if federal dollars dried up. Hope Solutions CEO Deanne Pearn said she recognized the importance of planning for the worst case scenario, but reminded the council that the nonprofit has had a 15-year contract with HUD and that its program has been named a top funding priority in the county. “Meteors can fall out of the sky, things can happen,” Pearn said. “But I’m not worried about losing funding for this program.” The council ultimately decided to agree to the altered staffing hours and to permit the park fee payment plan but with conditions — Hope Solution must return a year after all the units are filled to update the city on how the program is going, and the property owners must begin paying the park fees a year after a certificate of occupancy is issued. Councilmember Carlyn Obringer said the importance of the project makes the concessions worthwhile. “This is something that whenever the community hears what we’re trying to accomplish together they’re very supportive of it and in particular because of the credibility of Hope Solutions,” Obringer said.