San Mateo County aims to build its first navigation center for county residents experiencing homelessness by the end of next year, and officials on Tuesday moved much closer to doing so.
The five-member Board of Supervisors unanimously approved trading a county-owned parcel of land at 1580 Maple St. in Redwood City for one owned by the city at 1469 Maple St., where the county plans to build a 240-bed navigation center by the end of 2022.
As of Jan. 30, 2019, when the county last surveyed homelessness, over 900 of the 1,500 county residents experiencing homelessness were unsheltered. Redwood City had the most, with 221 residents lacking shelter.
That last count was tallied well before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its ongoing economic impacts on a region that is among the most expensive to live in the U.S.
"By building a navigation center from the ground up, it really allows us to build a facility with services that are proven to break the cycle of homelessness," County Manager Mike Callagy said in a statement. "A safe navigation center where individuals are treated with dignity and respect will provide people with the stability they need to transition to more permanent housing."
The navigation center "will provide intensive counseling and other supportive services," county officials said in a release, and it will replace an "outdated" shelter located on the parcel traded to Redwood City. County residents experiencing homelessness will have short-term housing, as well as access to services focused on finding stable housing and aiding in recovery.
The city, in turn, plans to use the former county land to extend Blomquist Street.
"(Redwood City) has been a terrific partner through this whole planning process," Callagy said. "We know that a common concern among many residents in San Mateo County is homelessness, and we applaud the city for taking the steps necessary to address the urgent need for a navigation center."
Many Redwood City residents pushed back against a similar proposal last summer, calling instead for city-owned land at 1402 Maple St. to become public open space. The deal approved Tuesday sets aside 10 nearby acres of waterfront land to become future park space.
San Francisco, San Mateo County's neighbor to the north, opened its first navigation center in 2015. From then until the end of 2018, the city said 46% of residents either found permanent housing or reunited with family and friends who could offer ongoing support.
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