California awards Victorville $6.3 Million to clear encampments and provide shelter

Photo byCity of Victorville

VICTORVILLE – The City of Victorville announced October 10, that the California Department of Housing and Community Development awarded them a $6.3 million Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) grant.

The city says they will use the grant monies to resolve encampments, in addition to enhanced street outreach, Wellness Center operations, interim housing solutions, and rapid re-housing.

“Homelessness is the issue of most concern to our Victorville community, and we are grateful to the state of California for this grant that will enable us to provide shelter solutions for the unhoused in our community while reducing the negative impacts encampments can have on our residents and businesses,” said Victorville Mayor Liz Becerra.

Victorville has permanently housed 80 clients since December 2023

The $130.7 million ERF grant is projected to help an additional 3,364 people currently living in encampments and permanently house 1,565 people statewide.

In addition to the ERF grant, the state also awarded Victorville $40 million that primarily funded the construction of the Victorville Wellness Center.

“Since the Wellness Center opened in December 2023, more than 80 clients have transitioned to permanent housing,” said the city in a statement.

According to Victorville, the city has the second-highest concentration of homeless persons in San Bernardino County.

Supreme Court ruling

On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson case that the City of Grants Pass did not violate the Eighth Amendment when they criminalized sleeping in public spaces.

Governor Gavin Newsom said the ruling by the court provides state and local officials the definitive authority to implement and enforce policies to clear unsafe encampments from the streets.

RELATED: Newsom says court decision allows clearing encampments – advocates say ruling is cruel and unusual