[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6550919,"mediaKeyId","5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad","parentId",5369866,"title","Council extends expanded BLNC shelter operations to 318 beds; Weir votes no","audioSeconds",337,"startMs",1211000,"endMs",1548000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad&start=1211&end=1548","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad/thumbnail_1211000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6550919/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Council-extends-expanded-BLNC-shelter-operations-to-318-beds-Weir-votes-no","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550919-ad8470531c82a379fdefb029381c60f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193812&Signature=jb8nmEwa~8K9a~lKUhBiT23zW3gvMaHq0KmSoRCFKlvHK7EhMWbSwNHVpPRaWu4Cxj6n5sMYe4errEaVBQR1u1VE-LyRnGWX5PLXC3j6B48sB4SNRegReyZFPEAk737e0VcUfc7yaV9JOFdchrl02RFSFj5UeicseY0sX7ECFMTcF521KPBSITa6cKb0tbkK8MDm0lR2Trf5cLDrN78S2IQTl5F5KitAplbqSlIwrVkBNcVKmocrJQLcIv8l6YZlN5efHGrwUBE6~~owufF7jjSxQw-S1~zt8CP~CCHZBlhTwiNsE2-1VRG1PPmP3auRhR~75uktwKTims-CZhISvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-10T21:30:04Z","article","The Bakersfield City Council voted to extend expanded shelter operations at the Bakersfield Life Navigation Center (BLNC), which has been expanded in stages and now provides 318 beds.

Council member Gonzales said the shelter had been expanded from an original 150 beds to 318 and said the expansion helped address the homelessness crisis. She cited a point-in-time count that shows a year-over-year reduction in unsheltered people. After the vote, Mayor Karen Goh clarified the point-in-time count decreased by 10.2% from 2024 to 2025.

City Manager Clegg described the context for future decisions on shelter capacity. He said that for several years partners recognized a gap in emergency shelter and supportive housing and that the city has been building affordable and permanent supportive housing through its Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Clegg said hundreds of units entered the pipeline several years ago and that, in the past year and the current year, the city has started seeing 50, 100 and 150-unit projects come online. He said it would be appropriate to begin evaluating shelter capacity and possible reductions “in the next year or two” as more permanent housing becomes available.

Council member Gonzales asked for a multiyear forecast and plan — a five-year outlook — so the council can responsibly consider scaling down beds and reallocating funds. A motion to approve item 7I3 passed; the clerk recorded the motion as approved with Council member Weir voting no and Council member Arias absent.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council - July 9th, 2025 5PM & 5:15PM Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","The Bakersfield City Council voted to extend expanded shelter operations at the Bakersfield Life Navigation Center (BLNC), which has been expanded in stages and now provides 318 beds.","taxTitle","Bakersfield, Kern County, California","taxId",4687,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6550930,"Bakersfield reconvenes public benefit corporation, adopts 2018 minutes; councilor cites federal funding for Centennial Corridor",1069,41000,1110000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad&start=41&end=1110","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad/thumbnail_41000.jpg","/articles/6550930/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Bakersfield-reconvenes-public-benefit-corporation-adopts-2018-minutes-councilor-cites-federal-funding-for-Centennial-Corridor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550930-33b25bb1bfc3ad050e14c0b16be021a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193812&Signature=aj87Yywmq~ys30Iv1zgtwQajjqbZJL34XBhqV~5ZgyIwhHw4Sq1HkabBURZ98zU6e~NZysLqqj6Q2mE8BmNM2tM2nvjaJDWxghAszGyrv3-UkS0OJTfhbtnWOTTKQqf2fBHhuuB3Qar8DJt0EMT6K1dqXp53v-rXVYYvtH~9wM6OgNItoTdZ5EmeN4OFCRnMHaAJ~F4O-ZCSYneZgpZ-y3T7N1caLCmofS8S-PmQhS3KtPsCeDMxXnUcTC82aTu4v0nK2wS1X25eiR0C5hjy3oInN0LbsbHz4QJ1dE9~c-Qjo7y4wPXV6qYy~VR5ekhm1Qf30gVHGmlYY1U5Ma9uNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bakersfield Public Benefit Corporation met in a special session on June 9, 2025, and adopted minutes from its February 2018 meeting, fulfilling an annual oversight expectation that the city manager said had lapsed.

City Manager Clegg told the board the public benefit corporation is constituted by the city council and is intended to meet at least once a year for oversight. He said the special meeting was convened because the group had not met in recent years and the city wanted to restore that annual review.

Council member Smith, speaking during the special meeting, said that when the corporation was formed officials expected the city would need to borrow “200 plus million dollars” to complete Centennial Corridor and related projects. She said federal and state funding — including continued work with Congressman Thomas and KernCOG — meant the city did not have to borrow. “Just last week, we got notified that we received another almost $40,000,000 to complete the final connections,” Smith said, referring to the movements between Highway 99 and State Route 58. She called the effort “a big hoorah for $1,400,000,000 project that, city of Bakersfield was able to do without any borrowing.”

A motion to adopt the 2018 minutes was made from the dais; the board approved the minutes. The clerk recorded the item as approved with Council member Arias absent.

The special meeting adjourned and the council proceeded to its regular session at 5:15 p.m.","The Bakersfield Public Benefit Corporation met in a special session on June 9, 2025, and adopted minutes from its February 2018 meeting, fulfilling an annual oversight expectation that the city manager said had lapsed.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6550925,"Council approves community-engagement agreement tied to $22.1 million Transformative Climate Communities grant; city contests federal contract change",932,715000,1647000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad&start=715&end=1647","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5369866-3df74c323b3e1b7891db5a1955fb4aad/thumbnail_715000.jpg","/articles/6550925/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Council-approves-community-engagement-agreement-tied-to-221-million-Transformative-Climate-Communities-grant-city-contests-federal-contract-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550925-455cb1a48aa39b96fd6a64a3038a23da/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193812&Signature=QoviSInDUYO0HAW3pwpxjTX0~20-zaaDbozOeMPoMgg7GyXsdL3QGgBNaHdWbvJ8lkj6hNbRz0YaNXDIYXh9DeFkMXm1aRuGKceG~3qrgdGt7R9qcCeOcwvf5rPXX5ZbKfGa696JkbZCpCxxb9~7ERrqW5BeQbLyNn8aTLdMSv6BRrRVOma4~Lh-VWCJG81K~T2L~aXGsHNj6Ib4uLHQHmBQz5ZO2kslpcZe0op0lqK0FlnP8aJBcyjjNbdEm6XMj5CGmwdukrpHGzjPbg87PsbPy0T8xgPQVUhLq2DVzt7OkiLcnfwI2lvEcG8Tf1Sob1HeMPCipTtQ27ZKD7EG9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bakersfield City Council voted to approve an agreement with the Bakersfield Senior Center (item 7E3) to carry out community engagement work required by a Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant awarded to Southeast Bakersfield.

Council member Gonzales described a 2023 award of $22,100,000 to a collaborative called Southeast Strong, saying the funds will be invested in Southeast Bakersfield and that multiple community partners will carry out engagement and project work. City Manager Clegg said the grant requires a robust community engagement plan and that the city has contracted with a dozen or more local entities to represent community interests and deliver services.

Council member Gonzales also noted other federal support: she said the city received a separate $20,000,000 federal award — referenced in the meeting as a Community Change grant — intended to fund improvements such as enhanced street lighting and pedestrian safety on P Street. Clegg said the federal agency later unilaterally changed language in that contract and notified the city that the award was at risk of termination; the city has filed a protest and is pursuing an appeal process and has raised the issue with congressional and senate representatives.

A motion to approve item 7E3 was made and passed; the clerk recorded the motion as approved with Council member Arias absent.

Council members and staff said additional, similar agreements tied to the TCC program will appear on future agendas as the city implements the community engagement plan.","The council approved an agreement with the Bakersfield Senior Center to carry out community engagement obligations under a $22.1 million Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) award for Southeast Bakersfield. City staff said a separate $20 million federal \"Community Change\" grant administered by the EPA had its contract language altered and was","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council extends expanded BLNC shelter operations to 318 beds; Weir votes no

Bakersfield reconvenes public benefit corporation, adopts 2018 minutes; councilor cites federal funding for Centennial Corridor

Council approves community-engagement agreement tied to $22.1 million Transformative Climate Communities grant; city contests federal contract change