Turlock homeless shelter on verge of closing following city council decision
TURLOCK — A dispute over a single dollar is leaving the fate of Turlock's only homeless shelter up in the air.
The Turlock City Council recently voted against writing a letter of approval and allocating $1 to secure over $260,000 in state grant funding for the shelter, We Care.
The deadline for the grant is just five days away, but the city has now notified the shelter that they will not hold a special session to change their vote in time. This means that money is off the table and the shelter would likely have to close on June 30.
"It's been a few months that we knew we needed to get this dollar, and then this letter of support," said Sandy Singh, director of the shelter.
For Singh, that $1 denial wasn't about money. It was about a last-minute demand from Mayor Amy Bublak that either We Care or the county provide 24-hour bathroom access for the homeless.
"I can't even keep track of how many times we've gone back, how many emails or text messages," Singh said.
We Care did offer to supply those bathrooms in hopes that the council would hold a special meeting and reverse that vote.
In a statement to CBS13, the City of Turlock said:
"The mayor called for a special council meeting, but a quorum could not be reached. At this point, the city considers this matter concluded."
"Losing the grant means, at the end of June, we close down," Singh said. "It means 49 men are back out on the street."
We Care has started a GoFundMe to keep their doors open past June 30.
CBS Sacramento cannot guarantee that the money donated to GoFundMe accounts will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering donating, you should consult your own advisers and proceed at your own risk.
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