Tracy council reviews options for temporary emergency housing campus, asks staff to vet medical-respite and behavioral-health partnerships

City Manager Midori Lightward and Homeless Services Manager Virginia Kearney summarized nearly six years of work to establish a temporary emergency housing campus and asked the City Council for guidance on how to operate the site going forward.

The campus was conceived after the council adopted a strategic plan to end homelessness. Kearney told the council the full site includes site preparation (Phase 1), a planned 68‑bed congregate “sprung” structure (Phase 2), interim modular units that opened in November 2022 with about 48 beds (Phase 3) and custom container units that added about 38 beds in December 2023 (Phase 4). Midori Lightward said the sprung structure construction began in November 2024 and is scheduled to complete in 2025.

Why it matters: Council and staff framed the discussion as a policy decision. The city has been operating interim non‑congregate options to address an immediate need but must now decide whether to keep the interim units, modify them, partner with county agencies or seek a private operator. The decision affects who pays ongoing operating costs and what services—medical respite, behavioral‑health wraparounds or navigation center supports—will be available on site.

What staff proposed

Virginia Kearney presented four high‑level options:

- Option 1 — Revert to the original plan on completion of Phase 2: use City funding and existing shelter grants (HAP, Emergency Food & Shelter) to operate the 68‑bed congregate navigation center and remove the interim modular and container units. Kearney said this would be the original, city‑run temporary emergency housing facility model.

- Option 2 — Amend Phase 3 (modular units): terminate the current lease for the southern modulars, reduce campus footprint and look for…