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Board pauses Willow Road RV-shelter project, asks for alternatives analysis
Summary
Supervisor Joel Anderson moved and the board unanimously approved a pause on active construction for the Willow Road RV program while staff evaluates other sites and reports back with recommendations and an enterprise-wide homeless-services assessment.
The Board directed staff to pause further work on a proposed Willow Road RV parking and services project and asked the County Administrative Office to analyze alternative sites and countywide options before committing additional funds.
Supervisor Joel Anderson said the current Willow Road plan would cost about $5 million to construct and about $900,000 a year to operate for approximately 17 parking spaces; design and permitting costs of roughly $600,000 had already been incurred. He told the board recent property options with sewer and other infrastructure have become available that could serve more people for comparable money. The board asked staff to return with analysis comparing options, and to include implications for reallocation of ARPA and other available funds.
The board voted unanimously to pause further work beyond completed design and permitting, to preserve the option to resume work if necessary, and to direct the CAO to analyze enterprise-wide homeless services, funding alternatives and whether reallocating funds to other programs (for example shallow rent subsidies or other sites) would yield greater impact.
Staff confirmed the pause would not demolish the work to date; the site is shovel-ready but will not be constructed until the board reviews the CAO's comparative analysis. The board also asked staff to ensure unincorporated-area outreach and services continue while the analysis is completed.
