Contruction on Visalia's 100-bed, low barrier facility underway
After years of planning, Visalia's Navigation Center construction is finally underway.
Tulare County Hope for the Homeless and Community Services Employment Training hosted a groundbreaking ceremony over the weekend for the 100-bed, low-barrier facility near Riverway Sports Park.
“We interact with people experiencing homelessness daily as they come to our emergency department and often get admitted to the hospital,” said Dr. Ryan Gates, chief population health officer at Kaweah Health . “Then we are greatly challenged because we have a responsibility to put together a safe discharge for patients, and there is no safe place to discharge someone to the streets.”
Construction costs for the facility are expected to be around $11.6 million, while annual operating costs are estimated at $1.5 million. The project is primarily funded by federal and state grant funds on top of the support of nearly 20 different community partners.
The facility will have on-site resources, including beds, showers, laundry facilities, meals, phone and mail services, animal kennels, storage space, and parking. The center will also have on-site employment training, health services, substance abuse and mental health services, and connections to permanent housing opportunities.
“The Visalia Navigation Center will meet individuals in our community where they are,” CSET Executive Director Mary Alice Escarsega-Fechner said. “This is going to be a place of hope, a place of changing lives, not only for the individuals that are coming here for services but for the people who have the privilege to work here.”
Residents must be referred, and pre-enrollment is required; however, the online portal is only accessible to local agencies and the police department. Beds will be pre-assigned, and residents can stay at the center for three to six months.
Construction on the 2.5 acres of land near Glendale and Court streets is expected to wrap up by Spring 2024.
“These past two years have been unprecedented from wildfires to COVID, to flood and high winds, but I’ll share that the mission and vision of this project continue because lives are at stake,” Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero said. “Every resource we can direct people to and move them towards stability is beautiful.”
More than 920 people are experiencing homelessness in Tulare County, according to a 2022 Kings/Tulare Homeless Alliance Point in Time survey. There are nearly 470 people experiencing homelessness in Visalia alone.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Contruction on Visalia Navigation Center underway
