More than a year after its first phase opened, the Palm Springs homeless navigation center has served hundreds of unhoused individuals in the city and helped many find housing, employment, or other helpful services, according to a report from city staff and facility operators.
How it works: The facility, located on McCarthy Road, offers short-term and transitional housing options and access to services.
- The Early Entry Facility is a 50-bed overnight shelter where the unhoused can sign up for services or longer-term housing if needed. There is also a transitional housing program consisting of 80 modular units.
Driving the news: At Thursday's City Council meeting, City Manager Scott Stiles reported that the 50 beds in the Early Entry Facility are full almost every night, and the transitional housing is approaching full capacity on the modular units.
By the numbers: Combined, the city's access center near the airport and the Early Entry Facility and transitional housing at the navigation center have served more than 600 unduplicated individuals, resulting in family reunification and successful exits into permanent housing.
In addition: Palm Springs Police Department Lt. Mike Villegas told councilmembers that while officers have contacted over 600 homeless individuals, only about 100 are considered "chronically" homeless in the area.
- Police have reunited 41 individuals with families and helped more than 112 find permanent housing outside the navigation center.
The latest: A new Community Behavioral Assistance Team (CBAT) pairing a police officer with a licensed therapist has responded to over 200 calls in its first month, connecting more than 125 community members to services.
Worth noting: During public comment, two clients raised concerns about inadequate nutrition and privacy issues at the facility, prompting Councilmember Grace Garner to call for a closer look at operations.
- "I don't want folks to not be taken seriously because of their housing status," Garner said.
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