The We Care men’s homeless shelter will temporarily close its doors beginning July 1, but supporters continue to apply pressure during the bi-weekly Turlock City Council meetings.
The issue has dominated the public-public-comment portion of meetings since April, when the council voted 3-2 to forego helping We Care acquire nearly $270,000 in state grant funds.
Ten speakers rose to support We Care during Tuesday’s meeting, with just one speaking out against the shelter.
The fracas has garnered statewide attention, with Gov. Gavin Newsom criticizing the council.
Former councilmember and current school board trustee Mary Jackson said the council has “poked the California bear” and put Turlock in the state’s crosshairs. The city now faces potential legal action for being more than a year tardy in submitting its state Housing Element plan.
“You voted to not fund the shelter, and many people have asked what your plan is,” said Jackson. “What is the city going to do? Is there an alternative?”
We Care feeds and houses nearly 50 men nightly, and what the shelter’s guests will do during what’s expected to be a two-week closure was not discussed.
We Care board president Sandy Singh said the progress We Care is making toward reopening has come without the city’s help. She had a simple request of the council.
“Please stop putting your politics over people,” said Singh, who confirmed that We Care has received a combined $90,000 — a third of what it could have garnered had the city stepped up — from the Stanislaus Community Foundation ($50,000), United Way ($20,000) and Kaiser ($20,000).
Julie Fox, a consistent speaker during the past two months, grew emotional during her turn at the podium.
“I have failed, you have won, and it may cost Turlock millions,” Fox told the council. “You know that, right? You know that this is not going to end here. And it’s a disservice to all of us, to every citizen.”
During his time at the podium, Ron Bridegroom cited a 2007 study on homelessness by the Center for Public Policy Studies to support the council’s stance. However, Stanislaus State economics professor Kelvin Jasek-Rysdahl, one of the authors of that 18-year-old report, took issue.
“I wasn’t going to speak, but when I saw one of my studies quoted up here, I figured I would,” said Jasek-Rysdahl, a former We Care board member who’s been involved with the program for two decades. “I’d encourage you to read the whole (study) instead of a few lines from it. It’s very misleading.”
Mayor Amy Bublak — who, along with councilmembers Rebecka Monez (District 2) and Erika Phillips (District 4) voted against aiding We Care; Kevin Bixel and Cassandra voted in support — spoke with Sacramento CBS affiliate KOVR 13 about the city being late with its Housing Element plan, which could result in $100,000 monthly fines.
“It just seems odd that we’re a town of 73,000 and they’re hammering on us to get it done,” said Bublak. “We’ll get it done; we’re working on it.”
Bublak told KOVR 13 reporter Nina Burns that the issue comes down to accountability by We Care.
“The city has supported We Care many times with a letter of support for grants, so I don’t get why you’re not willing to do this now,” said Jasek-Rysdahl. “Instead, you’re making We Care struggle to provide services. Somehow, it will survive, but it will not be able to provide the services it’s used to providing.”
The state has issued a July 3 deadline for the city’s Housing Element plan.
In other action Tuesday night, the council unanimously approved its 2025-26 budget for the general plan and non-general of just over $64 million. Kevin Bixel (District 1) was absent.
