The homeless could become part of the solution when it comes to homeless issues in downtown Manteca.

The City Council when they meet tonight at 7 p.m. will consider a pilot downtown assistance program.

Inner City Action — the non-profit running the emergency homeless shelter in a large tent in the parking lot of the former Qualex property at 555 Industrial Park Drive — will oversee the effort.

They will use staff and homeless they are working with to clean up and beautify downtown. They also will reach out to the homeless that hang around downtown to encourage them to access services the shelter offers to nudge them into taking steps they need to get off the streets.

It will also include a business support component.

The pilot program is in addition to city homeless efforts in the downtown area.

The pilot program will take place Oct. 1-31 Tuesday through Saturday six hours a day. It will cost the city $3,500 for the month.

At the same time the council is being asked to extend its contract with Inner City Action to run the emergency homeless shelter for an addition month through Oct. 31 at a cost of $40,200.

The city’s current contract with Inner City expires Sept. 30. That contract was entered into on May 18.

The additional month would allow for the city to send request for proposals to all known agencies that provide homeless shelter services.

Inner City stepped in when Turlock Gospel Mission opted out of its contract with the city.

The funding for the emergency shelter currently in place, the month extension starting Oct. 1, the next six-month contract, and the pilot program are all being funded by a state grant to address homeless issues.

The city is also continuing to work on acquiring and developing an 8-acre parcel on South Main Street for a drop-in shelter, a homeless navigation center, and transitional housing plus workforce or affordable housing similar to Juniper Apartments on Atherton Drive.

The homeless component will be accessed from Carnegie Court with a 7-foot masonry wall separating it from affordable housing that will border South Main Street.

The layout and wall are key components. By blocking access from South Main Street to the homeless component, the city expects to be able to stop any issues from developing along the Main Street corridor involving the homeless.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com