Why do we need a low-barrier navigation center?

• The 2019 Point in Time survey indicated that there are 819 people experiencing homelessness in Tulare County - a 23% increase from 2017

• 73% of the 819 individuals are living ‘unsheltered’, when the national average is 35%

• The number of shelter beds in Tulare County has been the same since 2013, and there are currently 450 people on the housing waiting list

  Click here to read Kings Tulare Homeless Alliance 2020 Point in Time Survey

What does ‘low-barrier’ mean?

According to the US Interagency Council on Homelessness:

Communities should have effective models of emergency shelter and other temporary accommodations available that:

• Meet the needs of all members of a household and self-defined family and kinship groups, including infants and young children

• Do not turn people away or make access contingent on sobriety, minimum income requirements, or lack of a criminal history

• Do not require family members and partners to separate from one another in order to access shelter

• Ensure that policies and procedures promote dignity and respect for every person seeking or needing shelter

• Provide a safe, decent, welcoming, and appropriate temporary living environment, where daily needs can be met while pathways back to safe living arrangements or directly into housing programs are being pursued