###

Local officials and community leaders have spent the last decade looking for creative ways to address challenges associated with Humboldt County’s homeless population. The latest proposition, dubbed the Humboldt Navigation Center, would serve as a one-stop shop, offering access to shelter, affordable housing options, public health benefits, job training and mental health support, all conveniently located under one roof.

Speaking during today’s Humboldt County Board of Supervisors meeting, Hannah Ozanian, a homeless services consultant with the county Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), said the Humboldt Navigation Center is modeled after Friendship Park at Loaves & Fishes, a day center for adults experiencing homelessness in Sacramento. 

“While I served as the director [of Friendship Park], we moved from one space at one end of our campus to a completely new center that was designed with all of our services in mind,” Ozanian said. “It was quite an opportunity for me to learn and I’m very grateful to be here to bring some of what I learned by trial and error to our community. [Friendship Park] served a much larger population, and an urban population, but nonetheless the services that we’re hoping to provide for our neighbors living outside are similar.”

The facility, which would be located at the corner of West Third and Commercial Streets in Eureka, would provide overnight shelter for Humboldt County residents experiencing homelessness, including temporary non-congregate shelter for approximately 15 individuals. During the day, the facility would provide a safe place for people to stay with access to storage lockers, a pet kennel, showers, restrooms, community classrooms, a computer lab, laundry assistance and a clothing closet. Social workers, mental health clinicians and substance use disorder (SUD) counselors would be available on-site as well.

DHHS Director Connie Beck noted that the project proposal has been in the works for several years.

“County staff and city staff have worked together for over 10 years … to come up with solutions around our houseless population in Humboldt County,” Beck said. “Several years ago, it was identified that if we had a place like a day center – somewhere people could be that was safe during the day – that would be one solution to multiple problems that we see with our [houseless] population. … [This] is right across the street from the [St. Vincent de Paul’s] dining facility, so all the folks would already be there.”

Speaking during public comment, Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery said the navigational center will “be a huge benefit to the community.” 

“I’ve been at the city for 17 years and this has been something that’s been desired by our business community, as well as our overall community, ever since then,” he said. “I think that we’ve done a really good job and really appreciate the support of DHHS and all they’ve done to make this a reality. … I really look forward to supporting this and making sure that this happens sooner than later.”

Staff did not provide a timeline for the project during Tuesday’s meeting. The county is currently negotiating the lease of the site with the property owner Mercer Fraiser.

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn expressed his support for the project and noted that the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation and the Humboldt Coalition for Property Rights, or HumCPR, hosted a shipping container complex at the same site a few years ago. 

Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell voiced her support for the navigational center, emphasizing the importance of “giv[ing] people an opportunity to help themselves.”

“I think that’s critical,” she said. “I know that the Southern Humboldt area would really benefit from something like this. … There [are] groups working towards this goal in almost every community in Humboldt County. I just am really excited that this is coming forward … but it can’t come fast enough.”

Fifth District Supervisor and Board Chair Steve Madrone thanked the City of Eureka for partnering with the county to bring the project forward. “We couldn’t do it without you,” he said. “Thank you for persevering and moving forward with this.”

Bushnell made a motion to approve staff’s recommendation and accept the report. Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson offered a second and the motion passed in a unanimous 4-0 vote, with Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo absent.

###