LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Hope Center, Lake County’s first permanent facility to address homelessness which opened its doors last month, is offering services and already has reached capacity, based on an update the Clearlake City Council received on Thursday.
Allison Panella, executive director of Hope Rising Lake County, the organization which is running the Hope Center, updated the Clearlake City Council at its Jan. 7 meeting.
The center held a ribbon-cutting on Nov. 12 and opened in early December, as Lake County News has reported.
The 20-bed center, located at 3400 Emerson St. in Clearlake, was funded by $4.6 million in state and local grants, including $500,000 in bond funds approved by the Clearlake City Council in April 2020.
With that help, Panella said Hope Rising was able to complete the major renovations to the center – which previously had been a medical office – although they’re still awaiting finishing touches on the kitchen and some partitions.
It was explained during the meeting that the center’s appliances are on backorder due to the pandemic.
Panella told the council that Hope Center is currently full, with 20 “participants” and a waiting list.
At the November opening, Shannon Kimbell-Auth, Adventist Health’s manager for community integration who is head of the Hope Center staff, said they call Hope Center’s residents “participants” because they are participating in their own housing navigation plans.
Panella told the council the center has space for up to 21 participants, with the 21st only being offered if they have the room to admit that individual the following day.
The average age of the participants is 47, with the oldest now being 72 and the young 19, Panella said.
Of the current group, Panella eight consider Clearlake home, while two are from Kelseyville, two from Lakeport, one each from Lower Lake, Spring Valley and Middletown, two are from Mendocino County, one recently moved to Lake County from Washington and two don’t consider themselves to have a home city.
Panella said the group of 20 participants includes 16 who have mental health diagnoses ranging from anxiety to schizophrenia. She added that two of the group are veterans.
Since the center opened, Panella said three participants have been able to exit the program.
The services the center has offered to its participants so far have been wide-ranging, from haircuts to assistance enrolling in college, new clothing, two meals a day and connection to health and wellness services, including optometry, chiropractic and dental care, and outpatient case management and services from Lake County Behavioral Health, Panella said.
She said participants apply for housing daily, and she said another individual is expected to be exiting the Hope Center this week in order to enter a housing facility.
Panella expressed her gratitude to the council for its help in getting the center open.
“Hope Center’s doors wouldn't be open today if it wasn’t for your commitment to this space and this facility,” she said.
She added, “We have a lot of work ahead of us,” but noted that they’re in it for the long haul. “We appreciate your support.”
Mayor Dirk Slooten, who has toured the center, said he’s so happy they’re open, pointing out that three people have already been able to be discharged.
“That is great,” Slooten said.
For more information about Hope Center, visit the Hope Rising website.
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