Chinatown Block Party helps homeless community with first steps to housing..

Hundreds came to the Chinatown Block Party in Salinas on Saturday.

Organizers planned the events in hopes of helping the homeless community take the first steps to find housing after sweeps of the homeless encampment took place last week.

Debbie Martin, the leader of the event with New Harvest Christian Fellowship, says she spent some time in Chinatown and wants to give others the chance to make a new life. “I made it out, I made it through but I never forget, I don’t forget where I came from. And I want to give back because I know if I can make it, other people can make it if we give them an opportunity and show them that we care,” said Martin.

There is an affordable housing development in the works, but the city says that will be in the planning stages until Summer of 2018. In the mean time they want to help the community get a jump start to finding housing. “Were also encouraging people to work with a case manager to get in the system as the first steps towards housing and as we’re working to build the midpen housing project which will be 90 units, getting in the system is really critical for that housing and other housing throughout the county,” says Megan Hunter a development director with the City of Salinas.

At the Block Party, food, music, hygiene products and other services were available.

The city says their goal is to make the Chinatown Neighborhood a safe and welcoming place for the community.