On Friday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and City of Santa Clarita officials met at City Hall to announce a donation to Bridge to Home.

A Bridge To Home homeless shelter donation was announced this week by Supervisor Barger and the Santa Clarita City Council.

“This joint announcement will demonstrate the valuable collaboration and the unwavering partnership that we share with the supervisor even when facing the most difficult of challenges and, in this case, the growing homeless crisis,” said Mayor Laurene Weste.

The event was held in front of Santa Clarita City Hall on Friday, during which Mayor Weste, Supervisor Barger and Bridge to Home’s executive director Chris Najarro spoke on the topic, accompanied by other local representatives at the City, State, and Federal levels.

Mayor Laurene Weste

“While many communities are just beginning to formulate a homeless strategy, we have been addressing this issue for many years,” Weste said. “This is evident in the city’s long term support of our local homeless service providers, including Bridge to Home and Family Promise.”

Weste described the City’s 2018 formation of the Community Homelessness Task Force to introduce the idea of a “Santa Clarita-specific” homeless count.

“In addition, the City of Santa Clarita has supported both Bridge to Home and Family Promise by donating the land where their shelter projects will be built,” Weste said. “I am proud to say that the City of Santa Clarita is donating an additional $2 million to make this homeless shelter a reality.”

Supervisor Barger was then invited to the microphone by Mayor Weste to add to the donation announcement.

Jade Aubuchon/KHTS Radio

Supervisor Barger

“Thank you, Mayor Weste, and on behalf of the County, we are going to match that $2 million,” Barger said. “So we are going to put $4 million toward Bridge to Home to address the homeless population.”

The donation announcement was followed by positive sentiment from Barger on the City of Santa Clarita.

“This city has not only a heart, but actually truly understands that in order to address the crisis that is facing the streets right now of homelessness, that is working together,” Barger said. “And I can’t wait to see Bridge to Home when it opens, because this is going to show the entire other 87 cities what you can do when you work together.”

Barger added an additional announcement to her speech on the City’s financial commitment.

“I am also excited that with our new Blue Ribbon Commission’s recommendations, we’re going to see more money coming to Santa Clarita,” Barger said. “You all put in over $2 million…and it’s estimated you get about $675,000 back.”

The supervisor then invited Bridge To Home’s executive director Chris Najarro to address the organization’s actions.

Chris Najarro

“Thank you so much Supervisor Barger and Mayor Weste,” Najarro said. “This new facility will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of our clients experiencing homelessness.”

Najarro added that she believes an important distinction to make is calling homeless individuals people who ‘experience homelessness’ as it does not define their whole experience.

“As our clients navigate their journey back to housing, our new shelter will provide the comforts which will allow them the sense of dignity and self-worth to help them with their efforts on adjusting their specific needs to be permanently housed,” Najarro said.

Najarro thanked the City and Supervisor Barger for the donations to the shelter, which she believes will be valuable to the organization’s mission.

For more information about Bridge to Home’s mission, click here. 

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