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State senate panel OKs bid to use RDA building for homeless
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By DENNIS WYATT

The Bulletin

Manteca’s elected leaders have asked Inner City Action for a more thorough detailed plan on how they intend to finance necessary improvements to convert the former Qualex building into a homeless resource center.

The request that was made after Councilman Gary Singh brought it up in a budget hearing last month was followed on Tuesday by the State Senate Housing and Community Development Committee unanimously approving AB 1731 sponsored by Assemblyman Heath Flora to allow the City of Manteca to sell the surplus redevelopment agency Qualex property on Industrial Park Drive to Inner City Action for $1 to establish a homeless resource center.

Senate leadership is trying to determine if a third committee needs to consider the bill as well before the full senate votes on it. If there are any amendments it would be routed back to the Assembly. Once both houses agree the bill would go to Gov. Newsom for possible signature.

The city was presented with a preliminary framework in April on how Inner City would fund improvements and operate programs.

Given that the legislature is moving forward, Singh said he wants to make sure there is a thorough financial plan in the city’s hands so it can be vetted in a timely manner to allow Inner City Action to proceed assuming everything is in order.

Should the building ultimately be sold to Inner City Action for $1 it would be with the agreement should it stop being a resource center for homeless endeavors that the building’s ownership would revert back to government ownership, auctioned, and the proceeds split between 10 local taxing agencies. The bill the state is considering would restrict the building’s use to a homeless center. It would not be allowed to be used as a homeless shelter.