Nate Robbins, neighborhood improvement manager for the City of Costa Mesa, described the city's network of homelessness services and the rules and supports tied to the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter. He said the bridge shelter has 100 beds, that the city employs the shelter's case managers and that residents should use the NHS hotline to request help.

Robbins told listeners the city's system of care "really has 3 prongs": street outreach, emergency shelter and the ultimate goal of permanent housing. "It is a network of nonprofits and churches and individuals that all come together to serve people experiencing and at risk of homelessness," he said, framing outreach as a relationship-building first step.

Why it matters: The bridge shelter is a primary short-term option for people living on Costa Mesa's streets. Access rules and the shelter's operating model determine who gets shelter beds and how quickly clients can be moved into longer-term housing.

Robbins said the Costa Mesa Bridge Shelter is city owned and operated and "it's 100 beds, so it can house up to a 100 individuals at a time." He said the city employs the case managers who manage client progress; Robbins described the staffing as four case managers with "about 25 clients each." On documentation and services, he said staff help clients become "document ready" by getting birth certificates and driver's licenses, and help them secure income and address overall health, including mental and behavioral health.

On who may enter the bridge shelter, Robbins listed the shelter's local ties requirement: clients seeking access must have live, work, or school ties to the city. "They have to have been a resident of the city for over 36 months," he said, or have worked in Costa Mesa for "over 12 months," or have children who attend a Newport Mesa Unified School District school.

Robbins described on-site amenities: assigned beds, showers and "3 hot meals a day cooked by Bracken's Kitchen" prepared by an on-site chef. He also noted a dog run for clients' pets and a bike program that provides bikes to people who are "working really hard on their housing." Robbins emphasized the shelter is "a safe, secure facility with staff that really care about them."

How to get help: Robbins said the best way to connect someone in need with services is the NHS hotline, which he described as "a 24 hour a day, it's answered by a live person." He also encouraged volunteers and community partners to continue supporting outreach and shelter work.

The presentation focused on operations and access; Robbins did not announce new policy changes or a vote. Next steps noted were continued outreach, volunteer coordination and use of the NHS hotline for referrals.