City of Davis set to approve winter shelter plan that leases apartments to those experiencing homelessness

Lonnie Wong reports

SOMETHING NEW TO PROVIDESHELTER TO THOSE IN NEED.

FOXFORTY'S LONNY WONG EXPLAINS.DAVIS IS NO DIFFERENT THANOTHER COMMUNITIES THATSTRUGGLE TO PROVIDE SHELTERFOR ITS HOMELESS POPULATION INTHE COLD AND WET WINTER MONTHSWHERE IT IS DIFFERENT IS THATIT IS PROJECTED TO HAVEHUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OFEMPTY APARTMENT UNITS THISYEAR.

ONLY HALF OF THE NEARLY40,000 U C DAVIS STUDENTS AREEXPECTED TO RETURN TO CAMPUSTHIS YEAR OPTING FOR REMOTELEARNING INSTEAD DURING THESCHOOL YEAR THE UNIVERSITYTOWN USUALLY HAS AN APARTMENTVACANCY RATE OF A FRACTION OFONE PERCENT.THERE'S A KIND OF M BAPARTMENTS AND THE NEVER SEETHAT THE CITY IS SET TOAPPROVE A PLAN TO LEAST 25APARTMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS.THEY REPLACE CHURCH WHENEMERGENCY SHELTERS, THE BRINGTHE HOMELESS UNDER ONE ROOFTYPICALLY THEY WOULD BE SERVEDBY OUR INTERFAITH ROTATINGWINTER SHELTER WHICH IS ACONGREGATE SHELTER.

I MEAN THELITTLE CHANCE FOR SOCIALDISTANCING AND TOO HIGH A RISKFOR THOSE ALREADY HEALTHCOMPROMISED.

THERE'S A BIGADVANTAGE TO USING APARTMENTUNITS THAT'S A WINTER SHELTERFOR ONE UNLIKE A ROTATINGEMERGENCY SHELTER, YOU KNOWWHERE HOME A SUBJECT OR AT ALLTIMES WHICH MEANS YOU CANOFFER THEM CONTINUING SERVICESWITH ROTATING SHELTERS YOULOSE TRACK OF CLIENTS WHO NEEDHEALTH CARE MENTAL HEALTH ANDDRUG ABUSE SERVICES AND JOBSEARCH HELP.

THIS PROGRAM WILLINCLUDE WRAPAROUND SERVICESFACILITATING A TRANSITION FORFOLKS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.THE PLAN IS EXTENSION OFTHE STATE'S PROJECT ROOMKEYWHICH LEAST MOTEL ROOMS TOHOUSE COVID PATIENTS AND I WASHOMELESS PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TOBE QUARANTINED THAT PROGRAMENDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR INTHE MIDDLE OF WINTER.

THERE'SA REASON SOME APARTMENT OWNERSSTEP FORWARD.THIS WILL BE HELPFUL TOAPARTMENT OWNERS WHO AREWORKING WITH SO THEY CAN FILL