MODESTO, Calif. — A new pilot project in Modesto is looking to give people living in their car a stable place to stay during the nights.
Modesto officials are exploring a potential "Safe Parking" project at 9th and B streets. If passed, the proposal would accommodate up to 25 cars and run for 12 hours a day for six months. It offers people living in their cars a place to stay overnight without worry of their vehicle being impounded and without worry of where they can stay for a night.
"What we're trying to do is react to what's happening as quickly as we can while taking into account all the different factors that put someone in this situation," said Chris Ricci, Modesto City Councilman. "It's a pilot program, so we expect to learn a lot from it before we put it into a permanent program... But our goal is to start to attack the problem in real time."
The site would include security, water, restrooms and dumpsters along with services to help people find permanent housing. The Salvation Army would be operating the site.
"The idea is that we're going to do it in conjunction with our Salvation Army homeless shelter in a parking lot that's connected to that property and that's going to enable us to have a lot of cost savings and efficiencies, especially with the wraparound services that already exist in the shelter," Ricci said.
The proposal is heading to the Safety and Communities Committee where Ricci said it is expected pass. From there, it'll head to the Modesto City Council where a vote could put it into action.
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