The 14 Forward microshelter site in Marysville has been providing temporary housing to Yuba County residents experiencing homelessness for almost a decade.
The site is made up of 25 individual Tuff Sheds and is currently run in collaboration with the county and the Salvation Army. But the county says it can longer fund the site.
According to reporting by the Appeal-Democrat, Yuba County used to receive state funds for 14 Forward. But changes in the new budget instead have those funds going directly to service providers through Medi-Cal, not to counties to distribute.
Now, the county is working on an agreement to have another nonprofit operate the site.
"The Rescue Mission currently is a men's only facility, so there won't be able to be any beds for women for the interim. But the mission is intending on building a women's Rescue Mission so that there will be even more beds available for homeless females in our area."- Johnny Burke, Sutter Yuba Homeless Consortium executive director
"When the current contract runs out with the Salvation Army, they're not renewing it, and then they're going to be giving site control to the Twin Cities Rescue Mission," said Johnny Burke, executive director for the Sutter Yuba Homeless Consortium.
"They're going to be doing some improvements to the property so that in the future, it can continue to be used as a homeless shelter and a place for services for homeless individuals for many years to come," Burke said.
But the change in management will also bring changes to the site's services.
"The Rescue Mission currently is a men's only facility, so there won't be able to be any beds for women for the interim," Burke said. "But the mission is intending on building a women's rescue mission so that there will be even more beds available for homeless females in our area. But it will take some time to do that."
14 Forward currently houses both men and women. It’s also low-barrier, meaning it doesn't require sobriety. That will end when the rescue mission takes over, as that nonprofit does require sobriety to access shelter, the Appeal-Democrat reports. This could disqualify current residents from returning.
The county is working with residents to help them find housing before the Salvation Army contract expires on June 30, Burke said.
"Their goal is to make sure that everyone is appropriately placed somewhere before the current operations cease," he said.
