Bay Area Community Services

Although Berkeley’s Sacred Rest Drop-In Center for houseless people is temporarily closed to accommodate a summer camp, Village of Love executive director and founder Joey Harrison has found other ways to serve the city’s unhoused community. 

The Berkeley City Council voted to advance several affordable and supportive housing initiatives at a special meeting Dec. 14.

As the world enters the second winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Berkeley’s homeless shelters remain at reduced capacity and continue to have pandemic precautions in place, with more people in need of shelter than there are beds available.

The city of Berkeley rolled out a number of resources to help the homeless community navigate challenges associated with being unhoused during the COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, pandemic. With limited options for sheltering in place or following social distancing directives, Berkeley’s homeless community is particularly vulnerable to contracting the disease

At last week’s Berkeley Homeless Commission meeting, an RV parking lot was proposed to open by the end of this month on Second Street and University Avenue.

The Pathways STAIR Navigation Center, or Pathways, has successfully rehoused 101 people during its first year of operation; some community homeless advocates believe more can be done to address the homeless crisis in the city of Berkeley, however.

Over the course of one year, at least 2,000 people in Berkeley experience homelessness for some period of time, according to information gathered by the city’s Health, Housing and Community Services department.

State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, announced Monday the unveiling of SB 18, which seeks to expand state funding and offer rental assistance and legal aid to help California residents who are at risk of displacement.

The center can house up to 45 people, who turn to the shelter to eat meals, take a shower, use laundry facilities and, in some cases, find permanent housing.

The center, located on Second Street between Cedar and Virginia Streets, will offer shelter, meals, showers and laundry facilities for up to 45 people, as well as a variety of services including assistance in finding permanent housing.