Salinas City Council approves controversial homeless shelter

The Salinas City Council approved an agreement between the city and the county to work together on building a year-round homeless shelter in Salinas.

The development was approved Tuesday evening by a 6-1 vote. Councilmember Tony Barrera was only one who dissented on the resolution.

The vote solidifies the location of the shelter, which had been a source of controversy for many parents who are afraid the shelter would be too close to a school.

The shelter will be built at 855 East Laurel Drive, and according to the city, that lot is the only empty and large enough spot owned by the county.

On Monday, parents raised concerns about the shelter being opened near a school and Constitution Park. But city officials said the shelter operator will provide security, maintenance and transportation for the homeless living there.

There are also plans to build permanent transitional housing nearby on 1220 Natividad Road, to help the more than 1,300 people in Salinas who are homeless.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for the city and the county, and I’d argue all levels of government,” said Steve McShane, a Salinas city councilmember. “Ultimately, it’d be stupid to pass this up.”

Many councilmembers argued the homeless population is in desperate need of help, and the city cannot keep pushing the issue aside. They also say the shelter will be close to a hospital and on existing county property, which would save taxpayers money from buying new land.

City staff say the current warming shelter on West Alisal will continue operating for now. Money from the state through the Homeless Emergency Aid Program will help pay for the new shelter. The council had to vote before December to qualify for those state funds.

There are no design plans for the shelter yet, and both the city and county suggest they will work to get more community input on the shelter.

About 56% of all homeless in Monterey County are in Salinas.