Homeless in Turlock

Homeless shelter: Proposal from Grant and Minnette Davis and Family

The objective of the shelter is:
To be a first stop. A secure place to receive basic human needs.
Prepare those that are interested to move to Transitional living. Receiving services to assist in transitioning back into permanent housing.
Prepare those that are interested to move to, or work with other service agencies.

The basic human needs the shelter will provide.

A place to sleep out of the elements. In order of priority.
Women with children
Men with children
Women
Men
Shower and Bathroom facilities. 24/7
Lockers
Cloths exchange and laundry.
A place for day time assistance.
Books
TV and Recreation (limited)
A place to meet with counselors
A place to meet county and city workers
A place for churches to provide services
Job and Life Skills Training
Resting and sitting places
Mail, Correspondence, Phone Messages
Out reach to the families of homeless.

How:
HUD Qualified Sell of the B st Property to Grant and Minnette Davis for $1,000
Ownership at a future time to be transferred to charitable foundation established by Grant and Minnette Davis.
Take the ownership, and related head aches from the city.
Qualified Sale means.
Only to be used as shelter or other HUD approved uses. This way no money has to be paid back to HUD per Kurt Klaus HUD Representative phone 415-489-6599.
Note failure to use the shelter as intended requires the city to pay back HUD even if property isn’t sold!
Contract between City and Grant and Minnette foundation that the length of time will meet Hud requirements.
Contract with caregivers:
Contract with caregivers to provide services at the facility.
i. Caregivers also must have insurance and name the foundation as
Grant and Minnette foundation will make sure all cities, neighboring business, and residents concerns are being met as directed by the city.
Caregiver must have a program that is approved by the Stanislaus county homeless consortium.
i. Homeless
ii. Business Owners
iii. Residents
1. All three parties’ interests have equal weight. No party has more rights than the other.
2. We will replace caregivers that do not keep the peaceful balance as noted.
Security, both at the shelter, and surrounding area
Clean up maintenance. Both at the shelter and via golf cart twice each day.
Homeless invitation. Invite any homeless members to come to the shelter day or night. Ease the pressure from down town.
Area improvement. General plans to upgrade and clean up the neighborhood. City guidance.
2008 – 2009 Emergency declaration allows shelter to operate this year.
City agrees to not rezone the location.
Filter the good from the bad, by using Video Surveillance. Outside and inside. Recorded. And or linked to any agency interested in helping with peace. People who want to do bad things don’t tend to want to be seen doing them.
2009 and on…. Shelter up to code. Many churches and individuals have expressed a willingness to bring the shelter up to code.
We will not ask for an exception in 2009. It is up to the community of faith to do this work, and we hope for available grants. If it is not done it is not the cities problem.

We will apply for state and federal grants to assist in the maintenance, upgrades needed, and day to day operations of the shelter as well as fund raising activities. We ask the city to allow those grants that need to pass through the city to be allowed to pass through the city.

I have many church’s, organizations, and individuals that have committed to provide the care, security, clean up, and bring the shelter up to code. There are also many that will assist in the daycare program that will help transition those interested to temporary and on to permanent housing.

If for any reason those that have made commitments, can’t or won’t keep them. Or will not meet them in harmony with the cities directives. Then the shelter will remain closed until we can find the support needed to run the shelter in harmony with its neighbors.

The one caveat is the shelter and homeless have the same rights to exist in the neighborhood as do the business owners, and other residents. However I do agree that the homeless do not have the right to be a nuisance, litter, commit crimes, or participate in other activities that blight the area.

My hope is that by having a shelter that is open for day use, as well as secure sleeping that we will be able to ease the pressure from the downtown area, while doing what I feel is right. I know that there will be bad eggs. I hope that video, police and security will allow us to identify those that are causing the problems and deal with them.

Further I hope to be able to provide space for other community service organizations to come and assist those that have interest in transitioning back into society, and or transitional housing.

Thank You for your consideration.

Grant W Davis
209-634-2929