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Shelter residents, staff and council highlight role of Harvard/Harbor Navigation Center; council cites budget support
Summary
Multiple residents currently or formerly housed at the Harvard/Harbor Navigation Center described how the shelter helped them regain stability. Council members and staff said the city has budgeted emergency funding to support the shelter and that staff are pursuing additional resources.
Dozens of current and former shelter residents offered personal testimonials about the Harvard (Harbor) Navigation Center during public comment, saying the facility had helped participants secure housing, sobriety and employment while they pursue permanent supportive housing.
Speakers described a range of experiences: one resident said a case manager and the shelter’s staff helped her move from living in a car to securing a housing voucher and a job; another said the shelter had provided safety and support while she worked on sobriety and schooling. Cheryl Douglas said she lost her husband to murder while she was displaced and credited shelter staff with helping her rebuild.
Council members and staff confirmed the city is providing emergency funding to support Spirit of Santa Paula and the shelter. The mayor told residents the council had committed money in the budget passed on July 1 and that the city, Fillmore and Ventura County had coordinated emergency funding in the past to keep the shelter operating.
City staff said the city manager and shelter director were working to secure additional funding. No new city appropriation was adopted during the meeting; council members emphasized the existing budget commitment and the need for continued coordination with county and nonprofit partners.
