Fremont Navigation Center For Homeless Opens: Video

FREMONT, CA —Construction of Fremont's first Housing Navigation Center (HNC) for the homeless has been completed at a cost of $2.84 million. The City projects a total of $9.47 million in funding from state, county, and city programs will be needed to run the Center for the first three years. After that, the City will evaluate the success of the program before deciding on more funding.

The Center was unveiled on Monday by Mayor Lily Mei, Fremont's Human Services Director Suzanne Shenfil, and Bay Area Community Service (BACS) official Jonathan Russell. BACS is the nonprofit agency chosen to run the Center.

Fremont's City Council approved construction of the Center last year after a contentious battle over whether it should be built in the first place, and then where it would be built. It is behind City Hall on City property.

Homeless people transitioning to permanent housing are expected to start moving into the Center in September. It was supposed to house 45 people but because of coronavirus restrictions, it will only be 25. Once health department restrictions are lifted, the number will increase.

Mei acknowledged that the number is small, but told Patch that Fremont residents should see a change in the community as a result of the Center, "While these numbers may seem small in the face of Fremont’s 608 homeless population (last counted in January 2019), the HNC will provide focused support to those who need it most in our community, steadily reducing Fremont’s homeless population in a sustainable and long-lasting way that we hope all Fremont residents will begin to see and benefit from."

While opposition to the Center was vocal before it was approved, there were also community supporters, and the Mayor says they're stepping forward to help, "In fact, Fremont residents and the broader community has already begun to tangibly support the Center to help it succeed through donations including new bedding (sheets, pillows, comforters, and quilts), towels, new clothing items, and amenity products. Volunteer opportunities will also be available in the future."

As construction of the HNC was underway, the coronavirus pandemic began. Mei says that the City stepped up its efforts to help homeless people cope by providing masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and trash bags to them. In addition, "We also expanded the Islander Motel program with 10 new rooms to fill with folks who are high risk for COVID. Overall, 17 people transitioned into the Islander Motel and 13 went into COVID-response units. Additionally, 43 people transitioned into Safer Ground programs in Oakland and Newark and 5 people transitioned into Union City’s CareAvan program."

Mei mentioned that Fremont's homeless population was 608 during the most recent count in 2019. That number was a 27-percent increase from the previous count two years earlier.

There are fears that homelessness will increase even more because of economic fallout from coronavirus layoffs, as eviction moratoriums are lifted and extra unemployment benefits evaporate.

But Mei is pleased with the City's efforts to combat homelessness, and is confident that leaders will be nimble as new challenges arise, "I’m really proud of Fremont for coming together to make this project happen and advance our role of helping to restore lives and bring dignity to those suffering from homelessness.

"There are many factors to the recent rise in homelessness, including COVID-19, which is why the City of Fremont has been implementing a number of programs, including the HNC, to resolve this issue and alleviate the burden it places on individuals and families within our community.

"In addition to the Navigation Center and the housing offered at the Islander Motel on Mowry, the City has launched Clean Start, a mobile hygiene unit that serves the Tri-Cities; expanded its Mobile Evaluation Team (also known as MET) through a partnership between the Fremont Police Department and behavioral health providers from the City’s Human Services Department and Washington Hospital; is studying the impacts of an overnight parking program; and recently hired the City’s first Homeless Services Manager to help spearhead the City’s collaborative effort.

"The Housing Navigation Center is a physical demonstration of Fremont’s commitment to be a compassionate city that is stronger when acting together."

A public Open House could not be held because of COVID-19, so the City held a virtual Open House, posting a video on YouTube Monday evening.

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