Yreka Considers Warming Center Options for its Unhoused Population

The hillside on Campus Drive in Yreka, near Siskiyou County Behavioral Health, is a popular camp location for the area’s unhoused population.

Yreka’s efforts to grow partnerships with church groups or other local non-profits to provide warming center services for the city’s unhoused population have not been successful.

“No third party has been found willing to provide service,” said Yreka City Manager Jason Ledbetter, in a Dec. 12 email.

“We did also ask the County Administrator and our district supervisor if the county would allow the use of a (Siskiyou Transit and General Express) STAGE bus as a warming center, that way we could just park the bus on Campus Drive and folks could get warm for an hour or two, and at the end the bus goes back to the yard,” Ledbetter explained. “They said they would need to discuss with the supervisors.”

In the past, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, local church groups have come forward to offer warming center services. The issue has remained a constant one for the last few years, with no clear plan, complicated by costs, lack of warming center locations, and the difficulty of forming partnerships to administer homeless services, say officials.

The city has attempted to partner with other organizations to provide cold night protection. The Red Oak Room in the Siskiyou County Behavioral Health building was considered, but the county denied the use of the space, said Ledbetter.

Yreka also attempted to partner with the Siskiyou County Golden Fairgrounds to erect a military-grade tent, but that option was resisted as well, Ledbetter told the council at the Dec. 3 meeting. The city also explored the idea of purchasing a tent to be erected as needed at the Behavioral Health facility. But that idea was seen as unfeasible due to labor and other costs.

Perhaps the most successful option was to use the Yreka City Council Chambers as a warming center, even though officials contend this facility is less than ideal, given its layout, flooring material, lack of restroom access and other problems.

One promising option for temporary shelter on inclement nights is a plan being developed by Yreka Police Chief Mark Gilman, former Councilman Duane Kegg and Dawnmarie Autry, a Yreka resident who has remained a constant supporter for services for the unhoused population.

“They are designing a container style warming center that could be dropped off at different locations based on need,” explained City Manager Jason Ledbetter. “They will be providing me with a concept for council review soon.”

Whatever warming center solution the city is able to establish is envisioned as temporary until Yreka Basecamp opens. Basecamp is being developed as a $2 million, 32-bed homeless shelter, complete with support services on Main Street in Yreka. The facility will be operated by Northern Valley Catholic Social Service.

“Basecamp would be the perfect warming center,” said Councilwoman Colleen Baker. “But the issue is we don’t really know when it’s going to be available for that.”

Bascamp is expected to opened in the coming months. Officials with Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, did not respond to a request for comment.

Another challenge around the development of a temporary warming — or cooling — center is will it be adequately used?

“The problem with warming centers… most of the individuals who have a camp set up around town will not abandon their camp to come to a warming center. That’s a plain and simple fact,” said Kegg at the Dec. 2 meeting, one of his last as a councilman.

It’s why, said Kegg, the answer to protecting people on cold nights is actual housing.

“It’s why warming centers are not really the ticket for fixing this. It is a shelter that’s actually the ticket for fixing this,” he remarked.

The weather in region is trending just above normal, at 105 percent of average for the Shasta Watershed, which includes Yreka, since Oct. 1, according to data from the California Department of Water Resources. Rainfall, however is 136 percent of average for the watershed, with 11.5 inches recorded as of Dec. 26, according to California Water Watch.