On Friday, Washoe County Commissioners broke ground on the new 50-unit supportive housing structure at he Nevada Cares Campus. The new construction is funded by a Home Means Nevada grant from the State of Nevada Housing Division.
This construction is a part of the County's plan to transform the shelter into a hub for wrap around services.
Original Story, August 30, 2023:
Construction projects have taken over large swaths of the Nevada Cares Campus, and Washoe County says it’s transforming the 600-bed shelter into a hub for wrap-around services.
“We’ve really taken on a whole new life here, and there’s massive construction going on,” said homeless services division director Dana Searcy on Wednesday.
Closest to completion is a resource center, opening as soon as December 2023.
“That is going to be a day-service, drop-in facility for people who are about to become homeless and don’t know what to do or are experiencing homelessness and don’t know where to start,” Searcy said. “They’ll be able to come and meet with case managers and services again.”
On its heels, a welcome center is slated to take clients its first clients in 2024. The 2,000 square foot building will be the new face of the campus, Searcy said, with case managers, behavioral health resources, a nurse area, and more.
And before the year’s end, the county will break ground on 50 units of supportive housing to help clients transition out of the shelter.
In total, since the shelter broke ground, Washoe County has invested close to $100 million in the Cares Campus’ infrastructure alone.
“It is a large investment, and it’s a necessary investment,” Searcy said. “I think we haven’t invested in a really long time, and many communities across the nation are seeing the impact of that.”
However, clients within the Cares Campus debate whether the investment has been worth it.
Brent Polk walks with a cane and speaks with a stutter. He told 2 News on Wednesday that he had been removed from the campus and told not to return before 9:30 p.m. because he wet his pants. He says he was struck by a car in 2013, and has been trying to qualify for federal disability benefits.
When asked if the county should continue to invest more resources into the campus, he said, “If it’s going to help people, maybe. But other than that, I don’t know. It’s not helping me.”
James Longo tells a different story. He said that he can’t speak highly enough about how his case worker has helped him access resources.
“Where would I be if these guys hadn’t put this together? Where would I be? Probably on the sidewalk with some blanket over me,” he said, later adding, “Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right.”
Parking his wheel chair in the shade of a fence outside the campus, Mark Verzosa said he has some complaints about cleanliness and safety on the Cares Campus, but he supports adding resources.
“The more convenient you make it for clients, the better it is,” he said. “Then they can’t have any excuses– well, I didn’t have a bus pass, or I missed the day, or something happened. No excuses. It’s right there.”
From the county’s perspective, Searcy said taxpayer investments in the campus are yielding success stories.
Initially, when the 600-bed sprung shelter first opened, approximately 10-15 people were finding permanent housing every month. That number has risen to 30-35 on average, and Washoe County’s ultimate goal is to help 50 people find housing monthly. Searcy said adding resource-based facilities will help the county reach that goal.
“We want (clients) to feel that no matter where they’re coming from and what their situation is that there’s someone here that can offer support,” she said.
Searcy added that if necessary, she herself wouldn’t hesitate to visit the Cares Campus as a client.
