UPDATE: The temporary shelter will be open and fully operational starting Tuesday, August 18.

The Temporary shelter is located just west of the highway overpass on 4th Street near Line Drive.

On Wednesday, Judge Hardy removed the temporary restraining order that stopped the City of Reno from setting up a temporary homeless shelter at a lot on East 4th Street.

In a tweet, Vice Mayor Reese says, "Cities have emergency powers that sometimes have to be used. This is one such example. Leadership is having to make hard choices."

We are looking into what this means for the Reno Events Center.

 

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Reno's homeless staying at the Reno Events Center will continue to stay and not move to a new location.

Washoe District Judge Hardy approved a restraining order to stop the City of Reno from making the move to a Truckee Meadows Water Authority lot on East 4th Street. 

This after Wells RV Storage Property Manager Scott Peterson filed a lawsuit Monday, August 3. Judge Hardy approved a restraining order on Tuesday, August 4.

Wahoe County, Sparks and Reno had enacted emergency plans to put up tents at the East 4th location. The move was so the Reno Events Center could host events. 

The Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor's Authority says the event the ROW had scheduled for the Reno Events Center for the weekend of August 8th has been postponed.

There are no other events scheduled for the Reno Events Center as of now for August.

Reno City spokesperson says, "We are complying with the judge’s ruling to halt operations at the temporary shelter."

They add, "We plan to remain with clients at the Reno Events Center as best we can until the restraining order hearing on the 11th. We believe the need is strong for our emergency plan. Any other option would potentially force more than 150 people to leave safe shelter."

The restraining order hearing is set for August 11. 

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Original Story: Reno's homeless have been spending their nights during the pandemic at the Reno Events Center. But soon they will be housed at a Truckee Meadows Water Authority lot on East 4th Street. Washoe County, Sparks, and Reno have teamed together to enacted emergency plans to put up tents at the location for more than 165 homeless.

Many of those staying at the Reno Events Center will come there, so the Events Center can resume normal operations by August 3rd. "We're trying to resolve an issue, whether it be temporary, at least we can do something," said TMWA Director of Operations Andy Gebhardt. "All of a sudden we have a homeless center being on top of us without any notification whatsoever. Does that sound fair," said Wells RV Storage Property Manager Scott Peterson.

Peterson says he wasn't notified about the change to the nearby location which currently acts as a feeding station for the homeless. "We have a good connection with the city with this site as a feeding station. So it seemed like a natural fit. If we are able to help out, we wanted to help out," said Gebhardt. "The crime rate on our property has gone up threefold to where I am spending up to $15,000 a year on security, which I never had to do before," said Peterson.

The feeding station will remain, once the shelter is up. "There will be water, sewer here. They are having shower facilities. They are also going to have some shade structures set up," said Gebhardt.

Peterson is concerned the facilities may not be enough, and wonders if it may affect the area. "Does that look like you're going to have enough room for 165 people to take showers? So what's going to happen is they are going to Record Street. So we're now affecting all of 4th Street," said Peterson. "It's on all of us to try to help out as best we can," said Gebhardt.

Sparks, Reno, and Washoe County are working together to find a more permanent location. As part of the emergency plan, the Community Assistance Center will expand to house 135 people, with an overflow of 40 extra. Fifty women at the overflow center on Washington Street will move into the Our Place shelter by August 15th.