The City of Santa Ana is opening a new homeless shelter

The City of Santa Ana and the Illumination Foundation broke ground yesterday on the location of a permanent homeless shelter.

Nonprofit organization Illumination Foundation will operate the new Navigation and Recuperative Care Shelter, which is expected to open in the spring on a 1.7-acre site in an industrial area in southeast Santa Ana near the interim shelter. Funding for the project was approved by the Santa Ana City Council using state and federal grants.

City Councilmembers Jose Solorio, Phil Bacerra and Nelida Mendoza spoke at the event.

The project consists of renovation of an existing industrial manufacturing facility into a two-level center to provide temporary emergency housing. The Navigation and Recuperative Care Center will include 200 beds for individuals, couples, and families with children who are homeless in Santa Ana.

The beds include 150 beds funded by the City of Santa Ana that will be used by individuals who have strong ties to Santa Ana. Another 50 Recuperative Beds funded by CalOptima will provide a place for homeless individuals to recover after medical treatment.

The new shelter also includes a community clinic with medical, dental, and behavioral health components. All guests will receive the supportive services to put them on a pathway to transition into permanent housing.

The center will replace the interim shelter, The Link, which opened in September 2018. More than 900 Santa Ana residents have been referred to the Link, and of those, 151 individuals have been successfully housed.