Vital funding approved for Naomi’s House in Fresno
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Fresno County Board of Supervisors has approved vital funding to keep beds at Naomi’s House available to homeless women.
Funding is drying up due to the state’s massive budget deficit. Naomi’s House had temporary funding approved by the county on Tuesday.
“Hopefully this would be one of those instances that the County of Fresno and the City of Fresno can work together for the greater good for the rest of the residents that we all serve,” County Supervisor Brian Pacheco said.
County Supervisor Pacheco is hopeful the county and city can find common ground to address local homelessness issues. Naomi’s House is run by the Poverello House. One former resident told supervisors the facility helped her break the cycle of homelessness.
“Being there has really been beneficial to me and my journey throughout battling with drugs and alcohol and homelessness,” a former Naomi’s House resident said.
County leaders say the next steps will be up to the city. City and county representatives have been working together on a plan to keep some homeless services viable in the face of a $47 billion deficit forcing massive cutbacks statewide.
“Yesterday’s action at the board of supervisors continues to fund all of those beds temporarily. 11 of those beds certainly for the next five years, but the remaining 23 were working with the City of Fresno to try to find some additional funding that they may have,” Board of Supervisor Chairman Nathan Magsig said.
Poverello House CEO Zack Darrah is hopeful a solution can be agreed on soon. But if not, they can approach the county again in a few months.
“Being able to have that funding come in immediately allows us to figure out some other solutions hopefully. The county board also said that we could come back in August if the city is unable to approve funding for Naomi’s House and that they would work with us to fund the balance of at least that year,” Poverello House CEO Zack Darrah said.
Magsig is hopeful the city and county will come to a funding arrangement within 90 days. The total dollar amount of funding approved on May 21 was roughly $380,000.
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