Friday, Jul. 18, 2008

Rescue mission could be reality by 2009

City officials strive to choose general location by end of year

Now that Westside Community Assistance has begun offering day services to the homeless it's likely to be a mere matter of time - months to be more specific - before the Los Baños Rescue Mission gets established in the city.

The group is waiting for city officials to pick a location where it will go, and the state says it has to go somewhere.

"The way I understand it the city has a time limit," Public Works Director Dwayne Chisam said. "We've agreed to move forward within that time frame. When I was interim planning director I indicated some time about the end of the year."

Paula Fitzgerald, the city's current planning director, said Senate Bill 2 gives the city until Aug. 31 of next year to establish a housing element within the city's general plan that would designate a location for a rescue mission.

Senate Bill 2 went into effect Jan. 1. It ensures municipalities have an area for servicing the homeless in a shelter or rescue mission type of setting.

Fitzgerald said she plans to delve into the issue within the next couple of months, but discussions about a location are already occurring.

"The Redevelopment Agency has some property that might work," Fitzgerald said in a cautious manner. "It's just something we've been talking about. Who knows if it'll go anywhere."

Westside Community Assistance began planning for services for the homeless in Los Baños in 2005. The group spent most of last year proposing locations the city turned down.

Now Westside would like the rescue mission to be located at Victory Outreach Church, 1231 Fourth St.

There has been opposition to the proposal by residents in the neighborhood, but Mayor Tommy Jones has publicly stated that the mission will be at whatever location fits the parameters established by Senate Bill 2.

"Where ever the state says the zone is that's where it's going to go," Jones said in May. "Residents don't have a choice, businesses don't have a choice, the city don't have a choice. Nobody has a choice."

Last week Westside began offering day services to the homeless. The services include two meals and a chance for the less fortunate to clean themselves. It is a a precursor to the group being able to provide full services, including job training, when a mission is established.

Westside was given $25,000 in startup funding by the city earlier this year. Westside President Steve Hammond has said the money will allow the group to serve the homeless for about four months.

Enterprise reporter Corey Pride can be reached at 388-6563 or at cpride@losbanosenterprise.com.