Victorville officials reply to request for funding warming shelter for homeless people

Homeless activist Lydia Marsala addressed the Victorville City Council for the second time this month, asking them to help fund a proposed emergency warming shelter.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Marsala said two homeless people had died since her first request, and others were released from hospitals with “nowhere to go.”

However, city spokeswoman Sue Jones told the Daily Press that there was plenty of room at both homeless shelters in Victorville on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, there were 22 shelter beds available at the city-funded and owned Interim Shelter at Westwinds Sports Center on the property of the Southern California Logistics Airport, she said.

Additionally, 31 beds were available at the High Desert Homeless Services shelter on Amargosa Road, south of Palmdale Road.

Meanwhile, the city is constructing a multi-million dollar Wellness Center Campus for the unsheltered in downtown Victorville. The center is expected to open in early 2023, Jones said.

State of emergency?

Marsala, a volunteer with God’s Hand Extended, said the city owns plenty of empty buildings to house a temporary warming shelter for those in need and plenty of financial resources to pay for staff and security.

“We’re begging you … how many more people will die this winter?” Marsala said. “It’s a state of emergency. Something needs to be done.”

Marsala would like the City Council to resolve to approve and help fund an overnight warming shelter that would operate from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. in Old Town or possibly the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, she said.

“The cost to run the warming shelter at the fairgrounds would be approximately $20 per individual, per night,” Marsala told the Daily Press. “Our target is 80 people per night, with a maximum capacity of 120.”

With resources, insurance, utilities and onsite security, the shelter would need anywhere from $1,600 to $2,000 per night to operate until April, Marsala said.

“God’s Hand Extended” would be the lead nonprofit overseeing the shelter along with partnering organizations, Marsala said.

SBC Fair CEO Jennifer Morgan told the Daily Press that there is a building on site to use for a shelter when Marsala and her team get funding.

The City of Victorville awarded God’s Hand Extended a grant they could use to fund the warming shelter they envision, Jones said.

“They were awarded $15,000 in ARPA funds this year as part of the CDBG application process,” Jones said. “Our records show they have $8,168.48 of this grant remaining.”

'Nick O.'

Marsala asked the council to close their eyes and listen to the names of people she said once stayed at the shelter but have since passed away, including “Nick O,” who she alleged “died alone last week” near the back of a shelter.

Marsala told the Daily Press that “Nick O.” died on Dec. 15 near the interim shelter on the property of SCLA.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Mara Rodriguez told the Daily Press on Monday that an adult male was found dead near George and Sabre boulevards in Victorville.

“The identification of the deceased is not being released at this time, pending notification of next of kin. No foul play is suspected,” Rodriguez added.

Some of the remaining names read by Marsala included Freddie, Terry, Steve, Ricardo, Daniel, Steven, Franky, Clark, Lyle, Theresa, Pamela, Sergio, Jason and Glen.

Marsala admitted that she didn’t know if Nick O. and the rest of the deceased died of hypothermia or an illness, adding that regardless, “They were homeless, and they needed help.”

Public comment

During public comment, one homeless gentleman claimed that on Dec. 20, he was told there was room at one shelter, but when he arrived, he was turned away because there were no beds.

Resident Janet Oliver also asked the council for a warming shelter for the “most vulnerable” that live on the streets.

A City of Angels International Christian Church representative said he has about 200 to 400 volunteers willing to help the homeless.

Additional shelter is not 'prudent'

Spokeswoman Jones told the Daily Press, “it wouldn’t be prudent for us to fund another shelter” since the city is already funding an emergency shelter at SCLA and with space available at both covers.

One of the primary objectives of the city’s Homeless Strategic Action Plan is to enhance shelter operations from typical emergency shelters that only operate at night to a 24-hour-shelter-operational model where clients engage in onsite supportive services, case management, medical oversight, and housing navigation, she said.

“This type of wraparound service model is currently active at the Westwinds Interim Shelter and will be carried over to the Wellness Center,” Jones said. “In addition, the City staffs a homeless engagement team to outreach to homeless individuals in our community to ensure they are aware of the shelters, arrange transport to the shelters, and connect them with available resources.”

Individuals can also connect to available Victorville shelter resources by dialing 211, asking for help at the Victor Valley Rescue Mission in Old Town, or requesting assistance from any HOPE Team Member, police officer, or City code compliance officer.

The City of Victorville is not stopping any nonprofit from operating a warming shelter, including God’s Hand Extended, Jones said.

Wellness Center Campus 

“Our strategy, developed in concert with our Homelessness Solutions Task Force, is to increase access to shelter, health care and supportive services,” Jones said.

At the cornerstone of the city’s homeless resources strategy is the Wellness Center Campus, which will offer 110 separate units and a minimum capacity of 170 beds.

The campus will be located on city-owned land at 16902 First Street, north of the railroad tracks and E Street.

The facility will offer a low-barrier emergency shelter with life-changing services such as income stabilization, housing navigation and mental health counseling to help homeless individuals break the cycle of homelessness and improve their quality of life.

Case managers will provide individualized assistance, and an onsite medical clinic will be available to shelter residents and the broader community.

Construction of the wellness center is being funded primarily through a $28 million Homekey Grant from the State Department of Housing and Community Development.

Barring any delays, construction of the Wellness Center will be complete this spring.

Until then, the City established and is funding the interim emergency shelter operation at Westwinds after completing a competitive procurement process.

This interim emergency shelter is a resource for Victorville’s most vulnerable residents, and space is available.

“Homelessness is an extremely complex issue. To be most successful, we must all work together,” Jones said. “We recognize the outstanding work of our community’s nonprofits and social service agencies and appreciate their contributions.

Previous warming shelters

In 2019, the Planning Commission approved the relocation of a longstanding, temporary warming shelter from the SBC Fairgrounds to the city-owned Victor Valley Transportation Center in Old Town.

The Victor Valley Community Warming Shelter, operated by HDHS, began using the transportation center in November 2019, intending to leave the location in March 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shelter transitioned to a 24-hour emergency shelter, operating instead through August 2020.

At that time, the shelter transitioned to the city-owned Westwinds Sports Center located on George Boulevard at SCLA, across from Schmidt Park.

In April 2021, the Victorville City Council approved a 92-bed homeless shelter at Westwinds.

Moving forward

Marsala said her group will continue to seek funding to open the warming shelter, “hopefully sooner than later.”

“I’m disappointed with the response from the city, but we’ll continue to move forward, and hopefully, we’ll get this shelter open,” Marsala said. “It’s only going to get colder, so we need to do something quickly.”

For more information on the proposed shelter, contact Lydia Marsala at godshandext@gmail.com.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victorville replies to request for funding warming shelter