STOCKTON, Calif. — Weeks after a deal was struck for St. Mary's Dining Room to take over San Joaquin County's largest homeless shelter in downtown Stockton, new city and county documents are shedding light on how much the abrupt change in operatorship will cost.
Stockton city council members are slated to approve a motion Tuesday allocating $5.3 million in funding to a three-year agreement with St. Mary's Dining Room to operate the shelter at 411 Harrison St.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to give St. Mary's the same amount of funding during a Aug. 22 meeting.
If Stockton's funding allocation is approved Tuesday, it would bring the government's total funding of the shelter to nearly $10.7 million.
“Working with the County, we were able to avert a closure and avoid a gap in services for our unsheltered community members," City Manager Harry Black said in a statement. "At the same time, this is a unique opportunity to establish a single integrated site with turnkey services through an established service provider that is supported by the City, County, and the community.”
Stockton's City Council ratified Black's Aug. 3 local emergency declaration after learning the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless would close due to financial issues.
The shelter's property is owned by Caltrans but leased to the city of Stockton, which subleases to nonprofits such as the Stockton Shelter for the Homeless.
A closure of the shelter could have resulted in the displacement of 250 people, nearly 28% of the city's homeless population.
Documents show the city spent nearly $358,482 in the days after the emergency declaration to prepare emergency plans in case the shelter did close. The planning included using $28,430 to buy 250 cots and two weeks' worth of blankets in case the city had to turn the Civic Memorial Auditorium into an impromptu homeless shelter.
Before the shelter's former operator planned to close, shelter officials struck a deal with the city and neighboring nonprofit St. Mary's Dining Room for the dining room to take over the sublease and operations of the shelter.
The deal included a promise from the city to provide funding. According to the city, St. Mary's Dining Room said they would need nearly $10.7 million to operate the low-barrier shelter 24/7 for three years.
While San Joaquin County is funding its portion of the shelter using money solely from the federal government's American Rescue Plan Act, the city of Stockton is planning to tap three sources.
Stockton's proposal will use money from the city's general fund; homeless housing, assistance and prevention fund; and money from the American Rescue Plan Act.
In city documents, staffers say by funding the shelter's operations, the city will be able to set contractual requirements on best practices and policies at the shelter as well as operation benchmarks, oversight, monitoring and reporting.
Mayor Kevin Lincoln indicated he plans to vote in favor of the motion in a statement.
“The safety of Stockton Shelter residents is of the utmost importance to the City. Due to the emergency nature of this situation, it is imperative we work quickly and collaboratively to ensure shelter operations continue," the statement said. "The City’s commitment of $5.3m will meet the critical needs of our Stockton Shelter residents.”
St. Mary's Dining Room has operated under the Crosstown Freeway, next to the shelter, since 1987. The nonprofit currently provides meals, medical and dental clinics, preschool programs, social services, and clothing and hygiene supplies to the homeless.
The agreement for St. Mary's to take over the operation of the shelter went into effect Sept. 1.
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