[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6470117,"mediaKeyId","5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a","parentId",5780065,"title","Visalia Rescue Mission to host 24‑hour “Conversations on a Bench” Oct. 9–10 in Visalia","audioSeconds",265,"startMs",685000,"endMs",950000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a&start=685&end=950","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a/thumbnail_685000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6470117/Tulare-County/California/Visalia-Rescue-Mission-to-host-24hour-Conversations-on-a-Bench-Oct-910-in-Visalia","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470117-0d60f441a68b895fbc3994f60c833b90/orig.mp4?Expires=1775393821&Signature=iV5x6OTszf1M6ryAd-TO2ilnd-K2IaqAuHwJE7qXrH3Pz8tJu70RRrchtMzOtIh-pwynZuXZGUMbrnI~1nyNDlrlWyculzhEvv3fRF9NA3PaqTUuFPV8yYxJ4l-QHspxaT0TQNWJwlJagup88dwhGIx403wRJBtmb0PhSS87zey6BG35bg3aFZO-b42LRjmvp43zgeg1SxKsoXkieD~Q~tjG9cQGal2AlyITO3YS5cYU4tPryhGW5bDq8vmZvH-1OjK0Z9~DDcsxkTqwhhCC6~kcIMVo-RQ2PLNXYPSkdwfa6xYcgVTTVYURhCRpEM8oa6Fvqhb8aFK2D5cS-JQulQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tulare County","date","2025-09-17T23:56:11Z","article","Michael Simmons, program director with the Visalia Rescue Mission, invited task force members to a public event called “Conversations on a Bench,” a 24‑hour, livestreamed community conversation starting at noon on Oct. 9 and running until noon on Oct. 10.

Simmons said the event — which will be livestreamed on the rescue mission’s social platforms and the mission’s website — is not intended to simulate homelessness but to encourage informal conversations about homelessness, mental health, addiction and food insecurity. “It is not in any way intended to, like, simulate homelessness. It is simply about just engaging in conversation about the topics that we care about,” Simmons said.

Simmons said residents, clients and service providers with lived experience will be welcome to sit and talk; he also invited task force members to sign up in advance or drop in during the 24‑hour period. The event will be staged at the rescue mission’s downtown site at the corner of Santa Fe and First Avenue, and staff said they will provide a sign‑up link for volunteers who want to participate.

Why this matters

Simmons said the goal is to surface lived experience and community perspectives and to create informal listening opportunities that complement formal provider meetings and planning efforts.

Additional details

Simmons said the event will be live streamed on social platforms and on the rescue mission’s event page; staff will share a sign‑up link for participants and a contact card with his phone number for those who want to reserve a time slot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Homeless Task Force Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Michael Simmons of the Visalia Rescue Mission invited task force members to join a 24‑hour, livestreamed community conversation on homelessness, mental health and related issues starting noon Oct. 9 at the Rescue Mission’s corner of Santa Fe and First Avenue.","taxTitle","Tulare County, California","taxId",7749,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470123,"Tulare County task force appoints secretary, approves minutes; members briefed on vacancies, RFPs and local shelter activity",3635,515000,4150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a&start=515&end=4150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a/thumbnail_515000.jpg","/articles/6470123/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-task-force-appoints-secretary-approves-minutes-members-briefed-on-vacancies-RFPs-and-local-shelter-activity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470123-57973d87eecf760d03abd236cf52bf08/orig.mp4?Expires=1775393821&Signature=othnkk3ZuF0U244hnzXJyUyUeRN0IO8453AQ9YQRVJBAYiMzRGd6Sf3KaOrtqQt1hn7ihAMvvMGIOAjjeSnT~ofxQu--zRDvZ8tMy1hO8oo5QVl6TRkUBtnumIpGgv0nqseX4XczMAUKEiUEntjg2Ppm3P5QwVFAySfLZdCf9Q8-B-4fTzCQdbCxTOt-UcP70ngv20iIpu-snNubUED9eIx34uw-inbcKRGouzAVqcVLwX-v7y5vZwzUMYL~FS2QFgvhAUaCH8JdRx2Ievp3ynqIVxl6DUvoBA-54J9nzI4K~K9IGeMJi0AxwjBankFpvfaGkGqIe14YJKTjgShbjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tulare County Task Force on Homelessness formalized routine governance items and reviewed a series of program updates and local shelter developments.

At the start of the meeting Mary Alice Escarga, co‑chair of the task force, called the session to order and led a roll call. Task force members then moved to approve minutes from the Aug. 20 meeting and to appoint Barbara Osborne as the task force secretary. The minutes and the secretary appointment were both approved by voice vote; the meeting transcript records the motions, seconds and unanimous “aye” responses but does not list a full roll call of individual yes votes.

Appointments and renewals

Staff asked voluntary voting members to submit renewal applications promptly. Several positions are subject to reappointment by the Board of Supervisors, while others are voluntary voting members that must file a one‑page renewal application. Staff said they need completed renewals within two to three weeks to allow review and Board action by December; if reappointments are not completed before the January meeting those voluntary seats will be recorded as vacant. The task force currently has a vacancy for the unincorporated community representative.

Local program updates and RFPs

City and housing authority representatives reported a mix of program activities:

- KTHA announced a coat and shoe distribution (Nov. 12) and held a fundraising spaghetti dinner (Sept. 25). KTHA staff said they plan to release remaining PLHA funds for emergency bridge and permanent supportive housing; staff reported roughly $63,000 for emergency/bridge and about $15,000 for PSH must be expended by April of the next year.
- Visalia’s housing office closed a NOFA for a warming center and received a single application; city staff said they expect to seek City Council award in October and hope to open Dec. 1 if funds and approvals proceed.

Shelter and navigation center metrics

Task force presenters shared recent navigation center statistics: 256 individuals served to date, 217 unduplicated clients, 39 repeat clients served a second time, 10 families (24 people counted as family members), and 15,665 total bed nights used. The center reported 61 housing exits and volunteer engagement of about 26 people covering 102 volunteer shifts and 103 volunteer hours. One shelter operator reported between 109 and 120 people currently housed at an emergency shelter, and noted a consultant has been engaged to support operations as a larger permanent shelter is completed; staff said they hope to transition people from the temporary encampment into the shelter around January.

Community giving and outreach

Staff circulated information about a Friends of Tulare County homeless fund that accepts donations; one QR code links to a donation page and a second QR links to an Amazon wish list for items such as hand warmers and toiletries. Staff said donated funds are held in the Friends account and used only for homeless‑service purposes, with no administrative draw.

Why this matters

The governance votes ensure continuity of task force operations. The program updates and metrics provide a snapshot of shelter utilization and near‑term funding windows (notably the PLHA expenditure deadline) that local providers must factor into planning.

Formal actions recorded

- Motion: Accept minutes of Aug. 20. Outcome: approved by voice vote (motion recorded in transcript).
- Motion: Appoint Barbara Osborne as task force secretary. Outcome: approved by voice vote (motion recorded in transcript).","The Tulare County Task Force on Homelessness voted to approve its Aug. 20 minutes and appointed Barbara Osborne as task force secretary. Staff updated members on voluntary member renewals, a vacancy for the unincorporated community representative, PLHA release amounts, the navigation center dashboard, and local shelter construction and outreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470128,"Tulare County staff: HAP Round 6 application submitted; HAP Round 7 funding likely smaller and may be limited to permanent supportive housing",266,964000,1230000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a&start=964&end=1230","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a/thumbnail_964000.jpg","/articles/6470128/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-staff-HAP-Round-6-application-submitted-HAP-Round-7-funding-likely-smaller-and-may-be-limited-to-permanent-supportive-housing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470128-81adcc1aae6caff5c39a930b65475792/orig.mp4?Expires=1775393821&Signature=ijC732zEXkS9ibGNw0gBqyLZWUvuEQgquF5EKo9rW~P52qRXFtNQXfh7esBn51rg9~bjD6Wpxi~feWI-3Gu5tgZqwQdgjmQPb8GFNARwCK53raKT4xscFpPscQlC44B-MmVerxQOm4SeeHnl719hdtRFMqGxI0b-0zDO~YpggZWrTpeYJ3PznrDu8XBa02NkV-F2SSPEWmw0e114aLeW~CCv9~FjaSqVkAaRQJHtZ0Bm~iMSTGgmoYGAhxHSZEev0t46AtmbxJV6NEI45CtpAJrzyG1d6wjyWQmTZ5bFHoGmVW~A7~SPvOudbUYnLywrO9i60ZRpb~BKVWw5MPGZUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Task force staff reported that Tulare County and partners submitted a joint HAP (Housing Accelerator Program) Round 6 application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development and described the legislative outlook for a prospective HAP Round 7.

Noah, a task force staff member, said the county’s collaborative application — developed with Kings County and local housing authorities including KTHA — was filed before the HCD deadline. He added that HCD plans to issue comments or correction requests by the end of the following week and then will conduct subsequent 30‑day review cycles until the application is finalized.

Noah warned that Kings County faces threshold issues that could limit the collective allocation, because Kings County is not a pro‑housing designated county while Tulare County is. “Tulare County is, thanks to the work of the Resource Management Agency and others, pro‑housing designated,” Noah said, and that designation helped Tulare meet HCD thresholds.

Outlook for HAP Round 7

Noah reviewed draft language for the proposed HAP Round 7 and cautioned it contains only scant details. He said current drafts indicate a much smaller statewide appropriation — roughly $500 million — compared with about $1.36 billion for the earlier round. He added the draft language, if unchanged, appears to limit eligible uses to permanent supportive housing, whereas previous guidance for earlier rounds had allowed funding for interim housing in some circumstances.

Local capital commitments

Noah said Tulare County has already dedicated significant capital from HAP Rounds 4 and 5 to support two county‑backed Homekey projects by placing funds in capitalized operating subsidy reserves (COSRs). Those reserves are intended to support operational stability and tenant rental assistance at Homekey sites.

Why this matters

A smaller statewide HAP appropriation and tighter eligibility could reduce competitive funding available to the region and shift priority toward permanent supportive housing projects. Staff said they will monitor legislation and HCD guidance, and review HAP Round 7 once more detailed bills are final.

Follow up

Noah asked task force members to note the legislative uncertainty and said staff will circulate any HCD office‑hours feedback and material revisions to the group once HCD completes its review.","Tulare County and partners submitted a collaborative HAP Round 6 application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). Staff flagged that draft HAP Round 7 language shows a much smaller statewide appropriation and may restrict eligible uses to permanent supportive housing.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6470132,"Tulare County transit agencies expand microtransit pilot; $5 one‑way fare, app and call‑in options explained",1645,1454000,3099000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a&start=1454&end=3099","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5780065-9325a8cf98e6966077c18c2e7046a35a/thumbnail_1454000.jpg","/articles/6470132/Tulare-County/California/Tulare-County-transit-agencies-expand-microtransit-pilot-5-oneway-fare-app-and-callin-options-explained","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6470132-526d415b781ff53904bdf8f78f5cf05a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775393821&Signature=HqRZ0o9aj9IFhGMWEn3aLxPNhYEjUn~VmfKyb6oJjEb-~RX5-X3XLDxyQPVqN5qxFqYq6MVndg4Ij3IOJD9cGxyklTbjYzetI7P2OrY8tNG3P380FSAgyQxbudcyHRrxeuglYy0vjIaX6BAnF175T2H-DS3N5yyD5zLDoqRqzhlfT4eYfMpm~CRtBYuBlnb0R-nF7wTO5HjATtp9uQ6crs~auwKJudugj0Tz44TXyn9N126NVLi5LRfrg77oBbFWgODWNGGWTYJr31-Ya51B28r6EJSj7uE2c8DVH96wxOXy41OHIz98yHpgaa2dpEgTqvhR1r8hebtXaRrKYXwLVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tulare County transit officials outlined an expansion of zone‑based, on‑demand “microtransit” services and answered questions about fares, hours, accessibility and outreach during the county task force meeting.

Giancarlo, a staff member with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), described microtransit as a demand‑response, zone‑based service that typically uses shuttle‑sized vehicles and an app for routing. He said the service is intended to supplement — not replace — fixed‑route buses by matching vehicle type to local demand. “It is public transit,” Giancarlo said. “Depending on the current demand, you could share a ride.”

Officials said the service model varies by zone. In urban areas the agencies target an average 30‑minute pickup time; in rural zones the average pickup window is closer to about an hour. Porterville’s branded service runs longer weekend hours than some zones: Porterville Transit operates roughly 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday–Saturday and about 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, officials said. Visalia and TCRTA (Tulare County Regional Transit Agency) operate separate branded apps (Visalia Connect; TCRTA Transport) and a unified “green line” phone number is available for callers who prefer to reserve rides by phone.

Fares, vehicles and discounts

TCRTA charges a $5 one‑way fare for most microtransit trips. Officials said discounts apply: $1 off trips that start or end at a transit center and $2 off for ADA‑eligible or Medicare beneficiaries. Agencies reported a regional fleet deployment of about 10 vans, roughly five of which are operating in the Visalia–Tulare metro area.

Accessibility and partnerships

Transit staff said all microtransit vans are wheelchair‑accessible, equipped with lifts or ramps, and drivers carry tablets with GPS plus radio contact to dispatch. Derek, a TCRTA representative, said the agency has commingled its dial‑a‑ride service with microtransit and retains a call‑in option to accommodate riders who do not use smartphone apps.

To reduce cost barriers, agencies have started partner agreements that let organizations book and pay for trips on behalf of clients. Giancarlo listed Central Valley Regional Center and Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency as current partners and said Porterville Transit has an agreement with Sierra View Medical Center. Those agreements are billed monthly to partnering organizations.

Outreach and next steps

Officials said they will launch a yearlong advertising push and community outreach that will include social media, event booths (for example, Oktoberfest) and direct distribution through nonprofits, senior centers and service providers. Angelina, a Visalia Transit representative, asked nonprofits to host hands‑on workshops to show clients how to use apps or the phone‑in option, and transit staff volunteered to run “how‑to” sessions at agencies and senior centers.

Agencies emphasized they are still piloting the model; they will monitor ridership patterns and may adjust fixed routes where microtransit proves more efficient. “We’re testing this out to see where it works and where it doesn’t,” Giancarlo said.

Why this matters

Local nonprofit staff and task force members said the $5 fare and phone‑in booking make microtransit an affordable and practical option for many residents, particularly workers and students who face long round‑trip costs by private vehicle. Agencies asked partners to help publicize the service and to consider voucher or agency‑billing arrangements for frequent riders.

Next steps and materials

Transit staff said they will circulate a PDF of the presentation with zone maps, operating hours and phone numbers. They also offered to run onsite demonstrations for agencies and senior centers by appointment.","Tulare County transit agencies described an on‑demand microtransit pilot that uses zone‑based shuttles and apps, outlined fares and discounts, and said they are testing service levels in urban and rural zones. Agencies seek community partners to help with outreach and workshops for riders who lack smartphone access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Visalia Rescue Mission to host 24‑hour “Conversations on a Bench” Oct. 9–10 in Visalia

Tulare County task force appoints secretary, approves minutes; members briefed on vacancies, RFPs and local shelter activity

Tulare County staff: HAP Round 6 application submitted; HAP Round 7 funding likely smaller and may be limited to permanent supportive housing

Tulare County transit agencies expand microtransit pilot; $5 one‑way fare, app and call‑in options explained