The city of Rohnert Park is celebrating the successful transition of nearly three-quarters of the population of a homeless encampment into interim or permanent housing after the last resident of a safe sleeping program left and the site was officially closed, city officials said last week.
Rohnert Park worked in conjunction with the Bay Area nonprofit HomeFirst, which assists unhoused individuals and families with attaining stable housing.
The safe sleeping program occupied the Roberts Lake Park and Ride area and provided safer camping for homeless residents by providing 24/7 security services while advocates worked on transitioning people to housing.
“These types of programs are important,” said Julian Elliott, director of HomeFirst’s Emergency Housing Division, in a release sent out by the city. “The ability to have a place, even in a ‘camping’ setting that is safe from theft, vandalism and violence, can provide a sense of stability and peace of mind that is so important when looking towards the future.”
On Jan. 31, the last resident of the safe sleeping site moved out, according to the city, which said that between October 2022 and January 2024, 122 individuals were served and 72% of them moved into interim or permanent housing.
Before October 2022, the encampment had been large and unregulated, according to the city. Rohnert Park had OK’d the space in February of that year, but concerns arose about its growing size and worries that it had become a magnet for more unhoused people in the area.
In fall of 2022, the city began barring any new residents from setting up camp and required anyone wishing to remain to register with the city. Quiet and visiting hours were imposed, and residents were provided with 10-by-10-foot tents.
Some park and ride residents moved to temporary housing at Labath Landing, a 60-unit interim housing structure in Rohnert Park paid for in part by state Homekey funding and Sonoma County’s Measure O, which is a quarter-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020 that provides funding for mental health and homelessness services.
According to the city, Rohnert Park had 210 unhoused individuals in last year’s Point-In-Time Count, which takes an annual census of homelessness.
“This number reflects a 43% decline in the city’s homelessness from 2022 and highlights the successes of the city’s innovative initiatives to address homelessness,” said the city.
I need help with housing, I’m homeless but work at foodmax in rohnert park
Nice to see a success story!
I myself and girlfriend with our French Bulldog were in those tents cold or hot weather we made due with what we had solar panels for power at one point I even had a Gas Powered Generator thanks to T-Nutty Travis Nicholas Turner Rest in peace if it wasn’t for him living out in a tent wouldn’t of been the same one night I had him come over and we entered my tent that my girl acquired from someone as a gift and we stood in the tent and I said you see that up above that’s a rat hit it so he Does this Bruce Lee Kick and that sucker flew up and all you hear is a Thud and it ran away we laughed so hard thank you T-Nutty we miss you on that I am in a 4 bedroom house killed one mouse lol and my girlfriend and dog also have a 5 bedroom to call home Very Greatful Alumni 05 graduate from Rancho Tyrell Brown