WOODLAND – A collaboration of nonprofits, government agencies and health care providers have worked together to complete Phase 1 of a multi-phase project for people experiencing homelessness that will ultimately include an emergency shelter, permanent housing, and adult residential treatment.

Friends of the Mission, a member of the working group the Woodland Collaborative, began the new year by the opening of Fourth & Hope Emergency Shelter, a 100-bed capacity shelter site. The new shelter serves as part one of a broader homeless system transformation effort known as the East Beamer Way Project. The project site currently includes the shelter, and at completion will be home to a 61-unit permanent supportive housing and 60-bed adult residential treatment facility, both under current development. The Woodland Collaborative is comprised of the City of Woodland, Yolo County, Fourth & Hope, Woodland Opportunity Village, and Friends of the Mission.

“The East Beamer Way project will significantly change the paradigm of homelessness in Woodland and Yolo County,” said Scott Thurmond, executive director for Friends of the Mission.

The Woodland Collaborative strategy aims to increase bed capacity in Yolo County by 198 beds, almost doubling Woodland’s current homeless focused bed count. The partnership draws on the strengths of each participating stakeholder. The City of Woodland and Friends of the Mission will oversee the construction of the site. Once the 61 units are completed, Fourth & Hope, Woodland Opportunity Village, and Yolo County will provide on-site wrap-around services to help program participants with needs such as accessing social and health care programs, and engaging in activities such as community gardening.

Since 1994, Friends of the Mission has provided safe and affordable housing for community members experiencing homelessness in Yolo County. Friends of the Mission currently supports Fourth & Hope housing and shelter sites, operates six units of affordable rental housing in West Sacramento, and oversees a seven-unit apartment complex providing permanent supportive housing in Woodland.

Friends of the Mission will also be working with Opportunity Village to develop a 12-unit housing site off site from East Beamer. Friends of the Mission is one of the few affordable housing developers focused solely on permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness in Woodland and Yolo County.

“Dignity Health is proud to partner with the Woodland Collaborative and the East Beamer Project to better serve those experiencing homelessness in Yolo County,” said Edmundo Castañeda, president of Woodland Memorial Hospital. “This new shelter is an important milestone in the project, and I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Friends of the Mission and Fourth and Hope for their leadership and the collective effort to bring this shelter to fruition.”

The total cost of the East Beamer Project is estimated at $15.2M. Financing for this project includes funding from Dignity Health’s Homeless Health Initiative, California’s No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program, City of Woodland, Friends of the Mission, Yolo County, Partnership Health Plan of California, and Sutter Health. This project is a collective investment and impact model. Friends of the Mission will be securing an additional $3.5 million in funds to complete the East Beamer Way project site.

For more information contact Scott Thurmond, Friends of the Mission, 916-416-0901.

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