Officials from Bridge To Home held a press conference Thursday to thank Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger for providing funding used to keep the shelter open year-round and also the City of Santa Clarita for its support and donation of the land, according to officials.

“People who are working hard to get off the streets do not have to go back to the streets,” said Mike Foley, executive director of Bridge To Home. “Instead, they get to stay on the path from homelessness to housing.”

After a funding opportunity was canceled in 2018, Bridge To Home received a $200,000 grant from the office of Supervisor Kathryn Barger to fill the funding gap for the nonprofit.

Related: Bridge To Home Loses $900K Funding Opportunity After Grant Cancellation, Seeks Donations

“While I represent the unincorporated area, I also represent the City of Santa Clarita,” Barger said.

In addition to recognizing Barger, officials with the City of Santa Clarita were also recognized for deeding Bridge to Home property, located directly adjacent to their current location.

“The City of Santa Clarita is more than happy to have deeded you this land as well as joining property to make this permanent year-round shelter a reality,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean.

Bridge to Home plans to expand the current size of the homeless shelter by utilizing land given to them by the City.  

Related: Santa Clarita Awarded $375K Measure H Grant For Homeless Plan Implementation

“Just this week, my city council colleagues and I approved funds to hire a project manager to oversee the construction of the new Bridge to Home structure,” McLean said.

The campus will include two buildings, according to Foley.

The first building will be for families that is expected to hold about 20 family members.

“The second building will be for individuals, which is planned to hold 60 to 80 people,” added Foley.

Related: Bridge To Home Hires New Executive Director, Will Head Up Construction Of Permanent Homeless Shelter

Funds from Measure H – which are accumulated from sales tax – are also being used to help provide aid for the nonprofit.

When passed in 2017, Measure H helped nonprofit organizations around the county to facilitate new services and programs for homeless individuals, including those services from Bridge To Home.

Bridge to Home is in the process of transitioning from an emergency winter shelter to a year-round 24-7 operation, according to officials.

“We’ve got a plan to build an amazing campus that will make it so that we can begin the process of ending homelessness in Santa Clarita,” Foley said.

Prior to receiving funds to operate year-round, the location was used as an emergency shelter during the winter months, which would have prompted the facility to close at the end of March, and not reopen until December, according to officials.

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