ORANGE, Calif. (March 10, 2026) — The CalOptima Health Board of Directors approved $10 million in funding for capital grant projects to six Orange County community organizations as part of the Housing and Homelessness Incentive Program (HHIP). This decision builds on CalOptima Health’s commitment to addressing housing insecurity as a key social driver of health outcomes in Orange County.
The funding will go toward projects that will build more than 230 units of affordable housing in Anaheim, San Clemente, Costa Mesa and Orange, supporting low-income residents, seniors and youth aging out of foster care.
Grantees include:
- American Family Housing: $500,000
- City of Anaheim: $500,000
- Friendship Shelter Inc.: $500,000
- Innovative Housing Opportunities Inc.: $1.5 million
- National Community Renaissance of California, aka National CORE: $2 million
- Jamboree Housing Corp.: $5 million
“We are deeply grateful to CalOptima Health for their support of Marks Way,” said Alexa Washburn, National CORE’s chief development officer. “This funding helps ensure that seniors — including those who have faced homelessness — have a home where they can feel safe, supported and connected. Marks Way in the City of Orange will be a place where older adults can rebuild stability and live with dignity.”
Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO) is building in Anaheim. “We are thrilled by CalOptima Health’s $1.5 million investment in our Lincoln Beach project, which shows what’s possible when housing and health partners align to create places where people can live, dream and thrive,” said Rochelle Mills, President and CEO. “This funding will directly support the construction of 47 new homes serving seniors and youth aging out of foster care. Lincoln Beach is a laboratory for our holistic approach as a creative, boutique Southern California developer that measures success by lives fortified and communities strengthened. As IHO approaches our 50th year, we’ve proven that transformation starts with housing, and the partnership with CalOptima Health recognizes that housing, health and opportunity are inseparable.”
Launched in 2022, HHIP is part of the Department of Health Care Services’ California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) framework. CalOptima Health secured $72.9 million in HHIP funding and committed $87.4 million from its own reserves to support housing solutions for members. The new $10 million allocation is part of the total funding pool and the fifth round of grants made available to Orange County organizations. Additional grants are planned for later this year.
Kelly Bruno-Nelson, DSW, Executive Director of Medi-Cal/CalAIM, concludes: “There are two ways to end homelessness — help those who are currently experiencing it and help those who are at risk of being unhoused. Affordable housing is a solution for both challenges. CalOptima Health is proud to be working with our community’s affordable housing leaders to implement the CalAIM initiative to improve health outcomes.”