Fremont has declared an emergency shelter crisis as the city’s homelessness population is likely to increase. According to the resolution, the city is anticipating an increase due to the lack of funding for supportive housing.
The approval of the declaration starts an emergency shelter program led by Cardea Health and Abode Services. Cardea Health will assist people with severe medical needs. Abode will provide case management and housing navigation services, which will help people toward permanent supportive housing.
The city plans to open 150 emergency shelters at the Motel 6 South location. The motel is on 46101 Research Ave., off of the Mission Boulevard exit on 680.
Councilmember Teresa Keng said it’s concerning that the city has yet to receive Measure W funds. “Our taxpayers have paid towards Measure W and we have this huge need,” she said.
The 2024 Point-In-Time (PIT) count reported 612 out of 807 people experiencing homelessness in Fremont are without any shelter. A quarter of the unhoused are ages 55 and up. The top causes of homelessness in Fremont include losing housing and job loss. A PIT count took place in January but results will not be available until sometime in the spring.
Councilmember Desrie Campbell asked if there could be an extension to the Winter Relief program, which is in the city’s Homelessness Response Plan adopted in 2024. City manager Karena Shackelford said she will talk with staff about the city’s options for the extension, but it will come at a cost.
Campbell thanked people attending the meeting that work and serve the homelessness population. “I know it’s hard work but you do it with grace and compassion, and I appreciate it,” she said.
The council will be updated every two years. The shelter crisis can end anytime through a council vote.
Amen Counsel Members. It’s about time someone gave a sh#@ about all these people’s in need of shelter, employment wud also help them … Perhaps that’s the next step for long term self sufficiency? 1st step for a huge problem ✓ very proud someone did something finally
The city of Fremont declared a shelter crisis September 18th 2021. It did not expire. The city has until 2036 to house and shelter all its homeless. They’ve done nothing to shelter and house it’s unhoused – instead what the city has done, is to ban them from public space. The city has re-declared a shelter crisis for measured w funding to purchase the motel 6 in warm springs and to renovate it. Mind you this is for supportive housing which is the most expensive type of housing to build. What they need to do is to build real, actual State guideline affordable housing which they refuse to do. They do not deserve any kudos for this declaration as they already have an obligation to set aside city-owned property for those of us that live in vehicles – be it an RV or a Jeep and where others can set up tents where they have access to potable water, laundry services, lectricity and refuse disposal.
As a side note, vote no on a city charter, as this will put even more power in the hands of a few where residents will not have any say. City council continues to exceed its authority to the detriment of not only those of us who are houseless, but for all residents as they continue to sell off City owned property and build mega mansions in the hills and set the rate for rents and market rate for-sale housing, creating manufactured, exorbitant housing costs affecting the entire region. I have lived in Fremont for 47 years and for seven of those 47 years, I have been houseless as I am unable to afford rent, as are 60% of those that are unhoused. There needs to be a balance between “most vulnerable” residents – that is to say, those that have mental health and behavioral issues, drug and alcohol addiction and those of us that have worked 20+ years of our life only to become disabled, unable to work, that should also be equally considered for true, affordable housing, without all the caveats of having case managers assigned, restrictions on visitors and forced treatment.
When the mayor of a city holds a realtors license, has investment properties in the city which they govern and is a developer, served/s on Abode BOD, MTC and Alameda county transportation commission to name a few, may not be acting in the best interest of its residents.
Respectfully submitted
I do not see this as a city problem but one that extends across the State of California. Yes, there are people who have hit hard times but many of these people have mental health issues and substance abuse. What is needed is forced rehabilitation into facilities that can possibly help them. These hotel arrangements are nothing but a bandaid and do not address the core problem. Liberal Democrats have run this state for years and yet there is no plan to build facilities with appropriate services needed. Special Interest groups created this problem years ago by lobbying to delete mental health facilities and promote outpatient treatment. Every time one of these Homeless housing bandaids show up, I’d like to see the data on the success of returning people to integrate back into Society. We as tax payers need to see the data. Would you blindly keep investing your money without some research on the gains and losses of your investment?