The City Administration announces this morning that it will no longer be pursuing with the Institute for Human Services an acquisition of 65 North Beretania Street for the Homeless Triage and Comfort Station.
"In partnering with homeless service providers, we believe in the goals of the Homeless Triage and Comfort Station to get mentally ill persons off the street, but we believe it is a prudent decision to take a step back from this site and collaborate with community leaders on locations that would be better suited,” said Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “The City invited public comment beginning May 13, and we have heard from community members that this isn't the right location, so we will partner to find other options for a much-needed stabilization program."
The Institute for Human Services held a Town Hall last week with over 170 attendees, addressing misinformation and explaining the purpose of the project to be a location where those suffering with severe mental illness can be brought in by case managers, medically treated, stabilized, and routed to appropriate care facilities. The project had planned to build upon the City’s Outreach Navigation program, where medical staff provide assertive outreach and medical treatment directly to those on the streets in Chinatown.
Department of Community Services Director Pamela Witty-Oakland added, "For many years, the City has been working together with the Chinatown community to address chronic homelessness. This was not a completed deal, as community engagement is part of our process in all we do, and we look forward to this being an ongoing dialogue with the community regarding solutions within Chinatown that address this unique and challenging population."