[KHTS] – Santa Clarita Valley officials working to secure a permanent home for the local homeless population believe they’ve identified the best spot for a year-round shelter — their current location on Drayton Street in Saugus.
A shelter official said the transitioning the current spot to year-round status a ways to go, noting approvals had yet to be granted from Santa Clarita and Los Angeles County officials. Santa Clarita officials had not yet received the letter as of Monday.
“It’s far from a done deal,” said Tim Davis, executive director for Bridge to Home, which runs the shelter. “We’re four or five steps away, but we’re on that path.”
A letter sent Monday to city of Santa Clarita officials from Bridge to Home board President Hunt Braly stated that a task force to identify the most appropriate location for a future year-round shelter suggested the current Drayton Avenue spot, near Railroad Avenue.
Bridge to Home is name for the Santa Clarita Valley nonprofit organization operating the only homeless shelter in the Santa Clarita Valley, which opened seasonally last year Nov. 25 until March 31.
When shelter officials signed their current three-year lease with the city of Santa Clarita in 2013, they said they would take steps toward finding a permanent home, Davis said.
In determining the best location, Bridge to Home created the Santa Clarita Valley Emergency Winter Shelter Task Force, identified seven locations and evaluated them using a matrix with more than a dozen criteria. Factors considered were the proximity to transportation services and other area resources for the homeless population.
The shelter has two seasons remaining on its current lease, which should allow for the planning, permissions and fundraising necessary for a permanent home, he added.
Construction would need to be undertaken, which is part of the impetus behind the organization’s capital campaign with a $1 million goal, he said.
There are numerous details to be worked out whether the Drayton Street shelter ends up being the organization’s permanent home, Davis said.
In February of last year, the current lease was renewed by the city amid talk of putting a trash-sorting facility nearby.
“We’re good here for the next two years (at the Drayton Street location),” Davis said, although shelter officials and volunteers are working year-round to make a permanent homeless shelter a reality.
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29 Comments
The area that the shelter is in now is a perfect place for a permanent facility. You could relocate the residents to Lancaster or San Fernando while under construction. I went there once to donate a big bag of new clothes and shoes. I was shocked when the man told me they don’t take donations, only food items. But it seemed like a clean ,quiet facility. It’s nice that Santa Clarita is wanting to keep people off the streets.
“Homelessness” has become a growth industry, encouraging “do gooders” to actually do nothing, and enabling brainwashed “Volunteers” in need of their next messianic fix. I have an idea, let’s just close it down permanently and go back to arresting vagrants and running them out of town. There, homeless problem in Santa Clarita solved. Wasn’t that easy?
The reason the shelter cannot take clothing is lack of storage. Church of Hope in Canyon Country will take clothing and give it, free of charge, to the homeless clients. Once the permanent shelter is built, hopefully, there will be a storage room for clothing. There are plenty of items needed besides food and the list can be found on our website when the shelter is open. http://www.btohome.com. 40+ gal trash bags, styrofoam plates, cups, bowls, plastic knives, forks, spoons, aluminum foil, napkins, paper towels are a few.
Now all the other homeless people from other areas are going to hear about this nice place to live for free, and flood our town.. Great job Santa Clarita…
I can’t believe the “heartlessness” of some people posting here. Have you not heard the saying “It’s better to give than receive?” It feels good to do the right thing. If we “arrest them and throw them in jail” then the taxpayers will be hit with the cost of housing them. At least the donations are coming out of the pockets of those who have compassion for those that are mentally I’ll or just down on their luck. Have a heart people.
I agree with Greg! What the heck people! I’m in the health care field and if people remain in the streets they become ill and clog up our emergency rooms not allowing you EARL to access needed care if u need it. It is much easier to house the homeless then deal with the collateral damage of the homeless.
Besides do you realize how close many people are to being homeless in this town!
It may look like Beaver Cleaver USA but people live way over their means out here!
Some people can be so Heartless! Random acts of kindness and love needs to be exercised here in our so called “AWESOME TOWN!” You just never know what can be dealt to you sometime down your pathway of LIFE!
No wonder Earl Foust only has 24 “Cyber friends!”
Many of the clients who stay at the shelter have full time jobs but do not make enough to afford a place to live.
Wow. Some people on this site need a serious dose of humility. I certainly hope you never end up in a situation where you need to lean on a stranger for help.
Hope that this location goes through. The lovely people at Bridge to Home have done so much more than just a “cot and a hot”. They provide medical assistance, job training, transitional help to get off the streets permanently. Truly a place of a hand up not merely a hand out.
One thing they are doing is pushing all the homeless up towards the A.V. Being there the past 3 years I have notice the rise of homelessness and pan handlers. Maybe SCV should lower its price of living or fix its drug problem that swept under the rug.
I believe in donating old cloths , unused cloths or slightly worn too. My wife and I like to donate toys too
It is said how our valley views those less fortunate.
How many people in the SCV are only one paycheck way from being homeless? Unfortunately, the SCV has gone from being Rural to Suburban, and now mostly Urban. And with that, comes city problems, ie; more crime, traffic, homelessness, gang issues, & in general; city attitudes. I hope that aide will be in the form of giving people “a hand up, and not just a hand out”.
Why do we need a homeless shelter. They should go back to where they came from and beg, instead of working, over there.
Actually “If you build it, they will come” was predicted around 15 years ago when the winter shelter first opened … and it didn’t materialize. The fear was unfounded. We weren’t flooded with out-of-town homeless people. One challenge to the current location is that there are 2 areas in Santa Clarita that have the proper zoning for a permanent, year-round homeless shelter, and the current temporary location isn’t one of them.
Actually “If you build it, they will come” was predicted around 15 years ago when the winter shelter first opened … and it didn’t materialize. The fear was unfounded. We weren’t flooded with out-of-town homeless people. One challenge to the current location is that there are 2 areas in Santa Clarita that have the proper zoning for a permanent, year-round homeless shelter, and the current temporary location isn’t one of them.
I agree with Gregg!! I am so happy to hear about people helping people..how can that ever be wrong?! Way to go SCV..I hope and pray other communities will follow your amazing example .,,
Thanks for agreeing with me, however my name has only 2 G’s in it. Not 3! LOL! ;-)
Help anyone and everyone without judging. If you hold back the capacity to be kind to others it’s usually due to you’re own fear and insecurities. I find that people who aren’t kind to those who are in need ARE the problem. Those same people who judge are also the same people loudly protesting the efforts to help others. The fact that they are loud reveals desperation because if they were better people their efforts would be for positive reasons and not the negative.
We all exist…by the grace of God…may God bless your efforts in this endeavour…how may I help…?
^^amen girly! We should all be wanting to help our fellow humans! Why would anyone deny helping someone who is less fortunate?! Some people just need a little help to get back on their feet… saying drive then out of town! Heartless! They already feel a sense of being unwanted, being homeless cant feel good but then to have people who have what they need belittle you more because you dont have a home! What is wrong with people these days? How about all coming together so everyone can be warm in the winter and cool in the summer! Have a love for mankind people, everyone has a story, dont be so quick to judge!if only you were as quick to help as you are to judge!
Please read
majority of homeless are homeless because of their poor choices in life…..i imagine it starts by choosing heroin / drugs over rent and food
majority of homeless are homeless because of their poor choices in life…..i imagine it starts by choosing heroin / drugs over rent and food
That’s only going to attract homeless people from surrounding cities