A meeting to find a resolution between Safe Space Winter Shelter and the city of Chico took place this afternoon.
The discussion comes after weeks of ongoing discussion between the city and the nonprofit regarding whether the original location of Safe Space’s intake center this winter season — which was at the former 7-Eleven building downtown — violated zoning laws.
After Safe Space was fined by the city last Friday, the nonprofit relocated their intake center to the “Our Hands” sculpture that night, which prompted the Chico City Council to call an emergency meeting over the weekend “due to the disruption or threatened disruption of public facilities.”
Chico Councilmember Addison Winslow attended today’s meeting between the nonprofit and the city. He said it smoothed tensions between the groups, and assured Safe Space they can continue to operate the intake center at its current location in the Trinity United Methodist Church parking lot.
“The important thing is the city's not going to come after them and shut them down there,” Winslow said. “We also just made sure that it was clear with who Safe Space will communicate about their operations, when in the year … because every year we have the similar conundrum that they might need to find a place.”
Winslow sends letter condemning city ahead of today’s meeting
Winslow released a letter today, which disapproved of the city’s initial decision to shut down the nonprofit’s original intake center location at the former 7-Eleven.
In the letter, Winslow said it was unacceptable for a city government to shut down a nonprofit volunteer-based organization’s efforts to shelter unhoused individuals.
Winslow also sought legal counsel, who said Safe Space could be exempt from zoning restrictions in the future under a state law that protects "Low Barrier Navigation Centers.” But to do so, they would have to add some additional housing services.
Winslow also pointed to Chico’s own housing action plan that all council members unanimously approved and calls for “removal of governmental constraints to the development of housing, emergency shelters and low-barrier navigation centers.”
Attorneys in the letter called for the city to work with Safe Space and ensure that emergency winter shelter is provided for unhoused individuals within the city.
How the issue started
Safe Space’s intake center opened on Dec. 17 at the former 7-Eleven on Main Street. It was open for two days before the nonprofit received a cease-and-desist letter from the city on Dec. 19.
The letter said the location of the nonprofit’s intake center violated zoning laws, but Safe Space thought it was in compliance, and requested zoning verification from the city on Dec. 20. The following day, Dec. 21, the city responded with a zoning verification, maintaining the nonprofit was violating zoning laws.
Safe Space appealed the verification on Dec. 29. On Jan. 3 the city denied the appeal.
Two days later, on Jan. 5, Safe Space stopped using the former 7-Eleven as an intake center after receiving a notice from the city that day that the nonprofit would be fined up to $1,200 a day if it continued to operate at the location.
That night, the nonprofit moved intake to the city’s “Our Hands” sculpture.
Saturday, Jan. 6, the Chico City Council called an emergency meeting.
Nearly 40 people spoke at the meeting. The majority in support of Safe Space. Many asked the city not to pull its funding from the shelter, which is $50,000 annually for warming and cooling services.
The meeting ended with the city voting that Safe Space must cease operations on city property, and to move forward with scheduling today’s meeting in hopes to find a resolution between the city and nonprofit, otherwise the city said it would pursue litigation.
The controversy comes as temperatures dropped below freezing over the weekend, and are expected to again Wednesday night. It also comes as unhoused advocates are concerned about the increasing number of homeless deaths in the city, which aren’t tracked by officials.
Safe Space is the only low-barrier shelter in the city and shuttles some of Chico’s most vulnerable unsheltered residents to local churches for a warm place to sleep during the coldest months of the year.
