Corona’s new homeless shelter accepts first guests

With the assistance of Corona’s homeless outreach team, the city’s newly opened 40-bed homeless facility welcomed its first guests this week, officials said.

Early Tuesday morning, the Corona Police Department HOPE Team and nonprofit contractor City Net started their usual rounds of street outreach to find homeless people in need of help. 

“Officer Martinez of the HOPE Team and Adrian Labastida of City Net engaged an elderly resident who recently lost her housing in Corona and was living in her car,” according to the city’s announcement. “Although she was emotional about the recent trauma associated with living on the streets as a senior citizen, she expressed her gratitude as she and other homeless residents were welcomed by the Mercy House Shelter Manager, Ashleigh Solomon, and the rest of the Mercy House Team.”

After being welcomed inside the new facility, the unhoused residents received a hot breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs, officials said.

“After breakfast, our new guests were so happy to have the benefit of a shower, clean clothes, and the feeling of safety in a welcoming environment,” Corona officials said. “Mercy House case managers met with all new shelter guests and conducted an intake assessment to develop a crisis stabilization and housing plan for each client.”

In line with the city’s Homeless Strategic Plan, the Harrison HOPE Center operates a diverse system of supportive services. In addition to the facility’s on-site medical clinic, Harrison residents receive job development and life skills training as well as housing resources that include tenant-based rental assistance and permanent supportive housing. 

Other types of assistance include pet accommodations, meals, emergency shelter, wrap-around services, housing navigation and permanent housing resources.

In May, Corona reported a 60% reduction in homelessness after the results of this year’s census of the city’s homeless were tallied. 

“Homelessness is not unique to Corona, but what is unique is Corona’s approach,” Mayor Tony Daddario said in a statement in May. “We have strategically built public/private partnerships, allowing us to create a compassionate, complete, and wrap-around plan to address this complex issue.”

More information about Corona’s homelessness reduction efforts is online at www.theroadhome.coronaca.gov.

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