Why Modesto thinks temporary stays in motels may get homeless off the streets for good

Kevin Valine
·2 min read

Modesto plans to set aside $200,000 for motel rooms for people who are homeless as outreach specialists work with them on getting into a shelter, being reunited with family or receiving other types of services that lead to housing.

Community and Economic Development Director Jessica Hill said the funding is for a pilot program that focuses on getting people off the streets as quickly as possible. It’s included in the city’s proposed 2024-25 budget, which starts July 1. The City Council typically approves the city budget in June.

City officials say when a person who is homeless is ready to accept help, that help must come as quickly as possible. Delays increase the likelihood the person will change his mind and outreach specialists will lose contact with him.

Placing people temporarily in motel rooms addresses those concerns.

Reasons people may need to stay in a motel include waiting for shelter beds to become available, getting pets vaccinated before they can enter a shelter, or working out the details of reuniting them with family members who are willing to take them in.

Outreach specialists may place people in motels while connecting them with other service providers for shelter or housing, according to a statement from the city.

“These programs are often able to provide additional motel stays and comprehensive case management services as needed to stabilize an individual while they continue to work toward identifying resources ... to transition them to stable shelter or housing,” according to the statement.

Hill said Modesto is working out the program’s details, but the plan is to have a list of motels that will provide temporary stays. She expects the stays would be for days and not for weeks or months, she said.

The Police Department’s Community Health and Assistance Team outreach specialists primarily would place people in motels, Hill said, but police officers and park rangers could do so as well. CHAT outreach specialists work with homeless people.

She said if the $200,000 is approved as part of the 2024-25 budget, her goal is get the program running as close to July 1 as possible but it could be as late as the fall. Because this is a pilot program, Hill said, the funding could be adjusted based on need.