Homeless shelter starts new year; volunteers need to keep eye on
permanent site goal
Yet another sign of our treacherous economic times is a
continually increased demand for space at San Benito County’s
homeless shelter, which opened earlier than usual this year.
Homeless shelter starts new year; volunteers need to keep eye on permanent site goal
Yet another sign of our treacherous economic times is a continually increased demand for space at San Benito County’s homeless shelter, which opened earlier than usual this year.
As local volunteers have scrambled to make sure it stays open seasonally in the short term, it’s encouraging that they are keeping their sights on the long term in a push to obtain a building and financial strength to remain open year round.
There is no doubt San Benito County needs a homeless shelter to a certain degree and that it eventually will need a building permanently dedicated to the operation, as the transient population appears to grow every year in a county with a relatively high number of needy people.
The temporary facility at the migrant camp traditionally opens as a homeless shelter from Thanksgiving through mid-March, while shelter officials expect to reach capacity more frequently than in past years on the coldest and wettest nights until the spring.
Homeless coalition volunteers expect to obtain a community development block grant to keep it open for the whole season, but the necessary scurrying and inherent uncertainty also is a sign that much more financial support would be needed to make such a significant change in going to a permanent operation.
Improving the shelter’s finances is step one because even if coalition volunteers obtain a year-round building, they won’t have the fiscal capacity to handle increased operating costs.
They are barely getting by now, so it’s unreasonable to expect the transition to happen overnight.
In the meantime, though, the coalition has been in talks with the county over potential use of the old convalescent hospital on Southside Road as a permanent location. Despite some roadblocks, such as the county’s hesitance to part ways with the property, we encourage leaders to continue working toward ultimately using that site.
The benefits far outweigh any detriments.
The location is ideal. It has adequate size. And the building already includes kitchen facilities.
It might be a while before a year-round shelter becomes a reality, but local volunteers should continue working hard toward that end, and government officials should do their part in ensuring adequate support for the neediest residents in San Benito County.
