Napa To Clear Homeless Encampments From Kennedy Park

NAPA, CA —The city of Napa is making preparations to close and remove homeless encampments from Kennedy Park, it was announced Friday.

While the Supreme Court recently clarified the ability to remove homeless encampments in the Grants Pass v. Johnson case, the city said, Napa obtained a $15 million Encampment Resolution Grant from the state of California to begin working toward closing homeless encampments by offering additional services and shelter capacity.

In January 2024, there were 423 homeless people counted in Napa County.

The Encampment Resolution Grant provided the funds for the city of Napa to add more than 50 non-congregate shelter beds so that large homeless encampments at various properties in the city of Napa, including Kennedy Park, can be closed.

As of Friday, an estimated 25 homeless people were camping in makeshift shelters in Kennedy Park. Many of those people declined services at previous engagement points, the city said. The hope is that ending camping at the park will encourage engagement in available services and shelter beds.

Services to those camping in Kennedy Park are provided by bilingual and bicultural staff with training specific to engagement in services. Shelter and housing navigation services are also bilingual and bicultural and supported by local and state funds, which means disclosure of citizenship or immigration status is not required to participate in the programs, the city said.

Transition Period

The city’s plan includes creating a small temporary camping location in Kennedy Park beginning in December. Campers will be required to relocate to this area or leave Kennedy Park before the city begins to remove existing encampments, city officials said Friday.

Through March, the city will provide standardized equipment, portable restrooms, handwashing stations, storage of personal belongings, and security services in a designated area of Kennedy Park.

Outreach services will regularly visit the site to offer shelter enrollment and housing navigation services. The city believes the four-month transition period will provide ample time for individuals currently camping in Kennedy Park to obtain a shelter bed or identify other long-term housing accommodations.

"The City of Napa has had the goal of closing Kennedy Park to camping and restoring the encampment area back to a park amenity for the entire community to utilize and enjoy," Napa Mayor Scott Sedgeley said. "The support of the State of California via the Encampment Resolution Grant has supported this goal, as have the voters of the City of Napa with the likely passage of Measure G which will provide ongoing funding for opportunities like improving our park amenities and addressing the issue of homelessness in our community. We cannot begin to plan for the future of Kennedy Park without first addressing the existing encampments and the needs of those living unsheltered in the park."

Guidelines For Grant Funds

According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which administers the grant, eligible uses for the one-time funds include:

Rapid Rehousing: Rapid rehousing, including housing identification services, rental subsidies, security deposits, incentives to landlords, and holding fees for eligible persons, housing search assistance, case management and facilitate access to other community-based services.

Operating Subsidies: Operating subsidies in new and existing affordable or supportive housing units, emergency shelters, and navigation centers. Operating subsidies may include operating reserves.

Street Outreach: Street outreach to assist eligible persons to access crisis services, interim housing options, and permanent housing and services.

Services Coordination: Services coordination, which may include access to workforce, education, and training programs, or other services needed to improve and promote housing stability for eligible persons, as well as direct case management services being provided to persons.

Systems Support: Systems support for activities that improve, strengthen, augment, complement, and/or are necessary to create regional partnerships and a homeless services and housing delivery system that resolves persons’ experiences of unsheltered homelessness.

Delivery of Permanent Housing: Delivery of permanent housing and innovative housing solutions, such as unit conversions that are well suited for eligible persons.

Prevention and Shelter Diversion: Prevention and shelter diversion to permanent housing, including flexible forms of financial assistance, problem-solving assistance, and other services to prevent people who have been placed into permanent housing from losing their housing and falling back into unsheltered homelessness. This category is only available to serve people who

were formerly residing in the prioritized ERF encampment site.

Interim Sheltering: Interim sheltering, limited to newly developed clinically enhanced congregate shelters, new or existing non-congregate shelters, and operations of existing navigation centers and shelters based on demonstrated need that are well suited for eligible persons.

Improvements to Existing Emergency Shelters: Improvements to existing emergency shelters to lower barriers, increase privacy, better address the needs of eligible persons, and improve outcomes and exits to permanent housing.

Administration: up to 5 percent of awarded Program funds may be applied to administrative costs.