Manteca is about to step up its efforts in working to get the homeless off the streets.

The City Council tonight may retain Inner City Action to run not just a temporary homeless shelter in the parking lot of the former Qualex building but to also go into the field to build trust and work on reducing the resistance many homeless have of starting the effort needed to get off the street and support themselves.

Turlock Gospel Mission has been operating the shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive since Dec. 10, 2020 initially as a warming center before it was transformed into an emergency operations center for the homeless.

That contract was good from April 1 to Sept. 30. Turlock Gospel Mission opted to exercise a notice of termination as allowed under the contract. They will remove all homeless from the center on May 24 and fully exit the site on May 28.

City staff approached two non-profits about taking over the site. Staff is recommending the council hire Inner City Action to operate the shelter based on what will be a minor pause in operations.

The contract is from June 1 through Sept. 20 for an amount not to exceed $160,800.

There will be about two weeks from the departure of Turlock Rescue Mission until when Inner City Action is set up and ready to work with the homeless.

County staff has indicated they are recommending to the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors Manteca be awarded $400,000 to help operate a homeless center. Money to run the shelter is already included in the existing municipal budget.

Previously when the city worked with Inner City Action to operate a warming center and cooling center basically six months out of the year, the non-profit was in the field everyday working with the homeless that are reluctant to go to a center to access services as the first step toward working with them to get off the streets.

Turlock Gospel Mission uses more of a standard drop-in model although they have participated in outreach efforts from time-to-time with other agencies that work with the homeless in Manteca.

Manteca is working toward establishing a year round homeless navigation center on the back portion of 8 acres along South Main Street they are working to purchase.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St. The meeting will be livestreamed via the city’s website and Comcast Channel 97.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com