Government agencies have been working with the Homeless Coalition of San Benito County on solving short-term homeless issues and the problem with a lacking, permanent shelter as well.
With the loss of a federal grant this year, the coalition can’t afford to keep the migrant camp open the entire season, which usually runs as a shelter from November through March, said Linda Emerson, the coalition’s executive director.
The homeless coalition has reveived close to $100,000 in federal funding annually to help keep the winter shelter open at the migrant camp from November to March.
Without federal funding this year, homeless advocates are looking into the possibility of using two large trailers owned by the hospital as temporary shelters instead of the migrant camp – or they may stay at the migrant camp and cut back the time it’s opened to two or three months.
“We don’t have money to keep the shelter open the whole season,” she said.
Look back for more.
