Latest news with #WeCareShelter
CBS News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
State sends City of Turlock letter over lack of shelter funding
The battle over funding for Turlock's We Care emergency men's shelter has triggered a deeper crisis: one that could cost the city millions in state money. The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) says Turlock's refusal to allocate even a single dollar that would have unlocked nearly $270,000 in state funding for We Care points to a much bigger issue. In a letter to the city, HCD warns that Turlock's entire housing plan has been out of compliance since December 2023 and unless the city takes action, it risks steep fines, lawsuits and the loss of affordable housing funds. Mayor Amy Bublak defends the council's decision, saying the funding was tied to requests like 24-hour restrooms at the shelter and came down to accountability. "It just looked like a little bit of a threat, that that dollar was going to be what keeps them coming after you," Bublak told CBS13. "And that, to me, makes no sense." Bublak says the city is working on meeting housing requirements but argues the attention on Turlock has gone too far. "It just seems odd that the town of 73,000 — and they're hammering on us about this," she said. "We'll get it done. We're working on it." HCD has given Turlock until July 3 to respond with a plan, or face consequences that could include fines up to $100,000 a month and legal action from the state.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Turlock homeless shelter at risk of closing to stay open through summer
After months of political back-and-forth, Turlock's emergency homeless shelter for men said it's staying open thanks to a wave of community donations. The We Care shelter had requested a $10,000 grant through the city's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. But earlier this week, the Turlock City Council voted to remove the shelter from the list of approved nonprofits, citing uncertainty about its long-term status. "We keep getting emails saying they're closing," said Mayor Amy Bublak during Tuesday's meeting. "I don't really want to extend money toward something when we have no absolute." The vote follows an earlier council decision in April to withhold a symbolic $1 and a letter of support, both needed to unlock nearly $270,000 in state funding for the shelter. That move drew sharp criticism from Gov. Gavin Newsom and sparked statewide attention. But despite the latest denial, We Care Director Sandy Singh said the shelter isn't going anywhere. "Our community has really stepped up for us," Singh said. "We've received support from United Way, Stanislaus Community Foundation, and Kaiser and we're expecting more." Singh said the donations currently total about $90,000, enough to fund operations for the next three months. The shelter typically shuts down for two weeks each July for cleaning and maintenance, but plans to reopen before the end of the month. As for the $10,000 federal grant, Singh said they're still hopeful, but not relying on it. The Turlock City Council will revisit the remaining CDBG funds during its next meeting on June 24.
