Stanislaus County leaders OK low-barrier shelter, plus a bold plan to help the homeless
Stanislaus County leaders gave approval Tuesday for a low-barrier shelter for the homeless and also a master plan including a permanent access center and several hundred housing units for people who want to get off the streets.
Bill Hudelson, senior vice president of Stanislaus Food Products, told supervisors there is no deal yet on a three-year lease agreement for the low-barrier shelter. For a nominal cost, the company could provide the land for the shelter behind the Salvation Army's Berberian Center at Ninth and D streets.
Stanislaus Food wants to avoid any adverse impacts on the business and neighbors, Hudelson said. Details including safety concerns, truck traffic and liability are still being discussed. "If we can be part of the answer, we would like to do that," Hudelson said.
Top county officials have said that approval from the Modesto City Council is critical for the low-barrier shelter. A presentation to the council was slated for Tuesday evening but no vote was scheduled.
The proposed 60-bed shelter and day center, which could open in June, is only a temporary measure for dealing with a growing homeless population that's created alarm in Modesto and other cities in Stanislaus County.
County supervisors discussed a broader plan Tuesday developed by representatives of business, nonprofit groups, the faith community, local government and a consulting firm that's donating time to the initiative.
The county will begin a process of finding a location for a 60-bed permanent access center for the homeless, offering services such as case management, substance abuse and mental health services and assistance with legal issues, employment training and job search. In the cold winter months, the center will also direct the homeless to available beds in local shelters.
The permanent center will replace the temporary low-barrier shelter, which would be operated under a three-year nonrenewable lease.
A partnership of local agencies and nonprofit groups would staff the permanent full-service center. Homeless individuals and families would be housed in the center for a few days or weeks while they work on getting their lives on track.
The 30,000-square-foot center would have kitchen facilities, classrooms, showers, multipurpose and exam rooms, a day center, storage and offices.
The county is promising a transparent process, with public input, for choosing where to build the permanent access center. There are no cost estimates for the project, but it requires at least 1.6 acres with utility connections and access to public transportation.
It's recognized that the center won't accomplish much without additional housing for people who want to change their lives. So the master plan also calls for transitional and supportive housing in the community with a total of 761 beds.
Motels or other properties could be acquired and renovated to provide for those housing needs, and local agencies could seek funding for additional low-income dwellings. It might also be possible to use seasonal migrant housing in the winter months.
County Supervisor Kristin Olsen said she won't support any locations for the permanent access center in downtown Modesto or outside the city limit.
Olsen said people in the community are nervous about the problem of homelessness and there's a sentiment that providing more services simply will attract more homeless people. "I ultimately decided to support the effort," Olsen said, noting that people deserve a second chance.
The four other supervisors favored taking a shot at tackling the problem. "I see this as a real opportunity," Supervisor Vito Chiesa said.
The county heard from one resident who said a temporary shelter near downtown Modesto would attract more homeless people and make the problem worse. "Moving all vagrant facilities out of sight would make most citizens very happy," Tim Ragsdale of Modesto wrote in an email to the county. "It would infuriate the irrational compassionate people."
County officials are siding with compassion and played a heartfelt video on outreach workers who engage the homeless in tent camps and parks, inviting them to access services they need.
On the video, a woman named Monica said she was in her wheelchair on a street in Turlock when she met an outreach worker. Monica said she has Parkinson's disease and had not eaten for days. The outreach team connected her with needed assistance and she is now staying with a friend.
Former Modesto councilman Brad Hawn, who has worked on the homeless initiative, said eight to 10 outreach workers are going out to engage the homeless. Since August, an initial outreach and engagement center on 12th Street in Modesto has worked to connect the homeless with temporary housing, social service benefits and other assistance.
According to a report to supervisors, 188 people were referred to housing and supportive services, 11 were referred to a Homeless Court program to resolve charges against them and more than 30 were placed in temporary or permanent housing.
"The homeless situation is exploding," Hawn said. "It is affecting our communities. It's affecting our neighborhoods."
Supervisors gave approval to distribute $2.5 million in state funding secured by Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, to the United Way for operating the low-barrier shelter for three years. The Stanislaus Community Foundation has pledged $1 million for building the shelter.
Local groups participating in the permanent access center will need a financing plan for operation and maintenance. Funding could come from private donors, grants and other sources.
David Crotty, senior vice president of Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, the Bay Area design firm providing pro bono services to the county, said he believes the plan can be successful in reducing homelessness.
"Some people say this is impossible," Crotty said. "It is, of course, impossible if you don't try."
This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County leaders OK low-barrier shelter, plus a bold plan to help the homeless."