Manteca’s dual strategy of “making life a bit better” and “making life a bit more miserable” continues to pay off when it comes to keeping down the number of homeless on the streets.
The city’s every other Tuesday outreach effort working with county and non-profit agencies that deal with homeless issues continues to average at least one individual each time ending up volunteering to go to the emergency shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive.
At the same time, they provide homeless living on the street with needed services such as health care while often finding others they can help return to their home communities.
And then once a month, the city’s quality of life enforcement effort intentionally targets homeless with outstanding warrants and who they find illegally camping.
The arrests warrants are often for failing to appear in court for previous violations to the city’s anti-camping ordinance that applies to everyone regardless of housing status.
That ends up with a trip to jail in French Camp where they are booked and released several days later with a new order to appear that could lead to a return trip to jail if they fail to do so.
At the same time, those without warrants and are illegally camping are given the option of moving on or being taken to the emergency shelter.
Whatever items they have — or of those being arrested — are cleaned up and taken away by Manteca Property Services.
“It is helping to continue to keep down the number of homeless (on the streets),” noted Councilman Dave Breitenbucher.
Breitenbucher continues to volunteer to work with both the outreach efforts and the quality of life enforcement sweep.
The city expects to be able to step up its homeless efforts even more when the permanent navigation center behind placed at 555 Industrial Park Drive in the former 55,000 square-foot Qualex photo processing building opens on 2027.
Crews have removed asbestos from the walls and are replacing the roof to have the building shell ready to go when requests for proposals to make interior improvements to the structure are circulated and awarded.
A $16 million state grant, secured by the efforts of Mayor Gary Singh, is covering the cost of buying, remodeling, and furnishing the building for use as a homeless navigation center.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
