Chinatown Navigation Center faces closure due to $2 million shortfall

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) - A new report shows the City of Salinas has a nearly $2 million shortfall in maintaining current homeless services, like the Chinatown Navigation Center in Salinas.

This, after critical state and federal funding from COVID, is drying up.

For Linda Chavez, the Chinatown Navigation Center in Salinas has been keeping her afloat.

"Every day at 6 o'clock we get food there and also showers at 7:30," said Linda Chavez, who lives in Chinatown.

Without it, she and others say their life would look a lot different.
This center doesn't just provide beds.

It builds a bridge for people transitioning back into housing, employment, and stability.

"For housing, for your ID and all that, social security to get benefits like SSI," said Chavez.

"Center helped me to get housing at Moon Gate and helped with the paperwork a lot," said Kelly Yoak, who stays at the Chinatown Navigation Center and Shelter."

Greg Baker, Executive Director with Community Homeless Solutions, says they have helped 137 go from living on the streets to permanent housing.

"There are several paths from an encampment suite to finding permanent housing. The most common path is through a navigation center, and we need more of those, not fewer," said Greg Baker, Executive Director with Community Homeless Solutions.

But this critical link is now at risk, as federal COVID-era grants come to an end.

"The federal government provided a lot of grants, especially during COVID. And so now with those grants ending, you know, we're facing some possible cuts to some of the services," said Councilmember Andrew Sandoval.

The city of Salinas must decide whether to continue providing these resources to the unhoused population. If they do, it would need to identify general and grant dollars to keep it alive.

"Chinatown navigation center is not just another program, it's a vital link, and we can't afford to remove the vital link and suffer the consequences that would happen if we do," said Baker.

Councilmember Sandoval hopes the city will conduct a full audit.

"I think it's time for the city to conduct a full audit to see what is working, where grant funds that have been provided by the federal government how they've been used," said Sandoval.

The uncertainty of the future of this vital resource is leaving many on edge.

"We don't know where to go anymore. I mean, what can we do? I try to find a place, but it's hard," said Chavez.

According to the report, that deficit is only expected to grow as the city needs about $1.9 million extra dollars to cover all its programs this fiscal year.

Yet, that number is expected to jump more than $5 million by the next fiscal year.

Estimates say the city may face a $6.5 million budget gap for homeless services within the next few years.

The city has until October 31st to decide if and how it will keep the navigation center running.

Funds for the mobile crisis response would also be exhausted by June 30.