In a prepared statement, Del Norte Mission Possible (DNMP) has announced its withdrawal from the purchase of a property at 1070 Highway 101 as a location for a homeless shelter.
“Complications with the owners existing obligations and community feedback made the property unsuitable, even though it is currently zoned to allow a homeless shelter to be located there. DNMP has spent the last two years attempting to secure a location for shelter facilities on its own.
More than 38 different properties were considered. Three serious negotiations were started that ultimately fell through. This is a community problem that needs to be addressed with a community solution. DNMP is now working more closely with the county of Del Norte to find a workable site within the time frames allowed by our grant requirements. The shelter and other services to resolve homelessness are still going to happen. DNMP heard very clearly the support for giving those who have fallen on hard times a hand up even though the location was controversial. As this work moves forward, it is important to talk about what effective services for the homeless are and what they are not.”
• They are not warehouses or holding places for unhoused persons.
• They are not drop-in or hand-out spaces.
• They are not a free ride.
• They are not competing for other county monies.
• They are not a magnet for unhoused persons to come here.
The release cites two models of successful homelessness resolution.
• rogueretreat.org
• washoecounty.gov/homeless/Cares-Campus/index.php.