John Spatafore (right) talks with CAPSLO CEO Biz Steinberg (middle) and SLO Mayor Jan Marx at a get together to celebrate the purchase of 40 Prado Road.
A new homeless services center that will provide consolidated services in San Luis Obispo, with broad support in the local business community, is closer to fruition.
On June 19 the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) and the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) closed escrow on 40 Prado Road, a 9.7 acre parcel to be used for a future homeless service center and a transit maintenance facility.
Since 2010 the SLO Chamber has been advocating the need for consolidated homeless services in our community and urging the city and county to work together to identify a site that provides needed resources to help individuals and families toward self-sufficiency. In the spring of 2013 the Chamber Board of Directors began to encourage the study of 40 Prado Road as an alternative site for a new homeless services center instead of the originally proposed location on South Higuera Street.
This led to the advocacy for the establishment of a center that effectively serves the needs of its clients with sobriety based programing, case management and services including counseling and transitional housing all while ensuring the safety and quality of nearby neighborhoods and businesses.
Since then, the Chamber’s 28-member Issues Evaluation Committee has been actively engaged with the business community, concerned neighbors, CAPSLO, the Homeless Foundation of SLO County and all interested parties to get updates and view presentations throughout the years-long process. This effort culminated in June with the Chamber board’s strong endorsement of the 40 Prado Road site.
“I am extremely gratified by the hard work and dedication of the many people who persevered to see the purchase of this property completed,” said Biz Steinberg, CAPSLO CEO. “Finalizing this purchase is nothing short of extraordinary. It is a true partnership of the city, county, CAPSLO, RTA and the Homeless Foundation. I am deeply indebted to everyone who has made this a reality.”
The final purchase price for the land was $2.25 million, and will be shared proportionally with RTA funding $1,507,500 and CAPSLO funding $742,500.
The Homeless Foundation for San Luis Obispo County will serve as the primary fundraiser for the $4.5 million needed to complete the facility. Approximately $1.6 million has already been committed to the project.
Community support has brought in $20,000 with an additional $370,000 pledged from 28 individuals and expected over a three year period.
Additional funding for the construction of the 100 bed facility was partially provided by a $250,000 loan from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development which will convert to a grant after 10 years of operation of the services center.
The City of San Luis Obispo has approved $250,000 for the facility. The County of San Luis Obispo is expected to approve $500,000 and there is an additional $225,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds available.
The $1,507,500 in funding for the transit maintenance facility comes through the San Luis Obispo Council of Government’s (SLOCOG) State Proposition 1B funds passed by California voters in 2006.