Tracy reports major shelter gains as temporary emergency housing nears expanded capacity
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Summary
City staff reported that the temporary emergency housing facility has served 236 unique clients and that coordinated outreach and shelter operations have coincided with a large drop in encampment debris and reported park incidents; council was briefed on plans to expand capacity and maintain outreach as parks reopen.
City staff told the Tracy City Council that the city’s temporary emergency housing facility (TEF) and outreach programs have produced measurable results in reducing unsheltered encampments and improving service connections for people experiencing homelessness. Virginia Kearney, the city’s homeless services manager, said the Salvation Army Stockton Corps operated phases 3 and 4 of the TEF and that the city has secured about $3,400,000 in grant funding to support shelter operations.
Kearney said the shelter served 236 unique clients and recorded 308 enrollments during the contract period reported, served roughly 94,170 meals, and supported 966 community cleanup hours through its “Keeping It Clean” initiative. She reported the TEF was operating near capacity, with 79 residents and 13 pets as of Jan. 6 and an average utilization rate of about 90 percent.
“The shelter operates at or near capacity,” Kearney said. “Access is coordinated through a network of local referral partners to ensure appropriate placement and continuity of care.” She added the city coordinates with hospitals and county health services for medical referrals and uses the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for monthly and annual monitoring.
Assistant City Manager Arturo Sanchez told the council that the city is preparing to open phase 2 of the shelter to increase bed capacity and that staff expect to move people into a new sprung-structure facility by spring. “Very shortly we’ll have more space at the shelter,” Sanchez said, adding the city’s goal is to transition people from shelter placement to permanent housing where possible.
Staff also presented community-impact metrics. The Community Preservation Unit reported a reduction in encampment debris from about 354 tons in FY 22–23 to roughly 34 tons in the most recent year, a decrease staff described as an approximate 90 percent reduction. Tracy Police Department data shown to the council indicated reported incidents in park and street locations fell from 141 in 2024 to 71 in 2025.
Kearney and other staff described the outreach model the city uses to keep people engaged with services. The “Familiar Faces” team, coordinated outreach, and partnerships with nonprofits were credited with placing 27 clients into permanent housing and delivering nearly 936 outreach services (contacts, referrals, transport and document assistance) during the reporting period.
Council members asked how the city will ensure people who had been living in El Pescadero Park remain engaged with services once the park reopens. Kearney described continued outreach efforts and mobile services such as showers and laundry; Sanchez emphasized there would be no effort to remove residents from services and that outreach teams will continue to engage people found in parks or public spaces and connect them to supportive services.
Staff noted municipal code was updated to restrict camping within 1,000 feet of parks and said enforcement will be coupled with ongoing outreach, shelter capacity expansion and service coordination. The council voted to receive the informational report; no formal policy action was taken at the meeting.
What’s next: staff said phase 2 of the shelter is nearing completion and the sprung-structure operations were anticipated to begin in spring 2026 as a soft opening, with additional coordination required to move existing occupants during the transition.
