Merced County and Merced Rescue Mission outline plan to use $3.2 million Continuum of Care grant in Atwater

Merced County officials and the Merced Rescue Mission on Monday described how they plan to use a $3,200,000 Continuum of Care grant to address homelessness in Atwater, focusing on outreach, emergency shelter, rapid rehousing and the data management systems needed to coordinate care.

John Checkley, deputy director of the Merced County Human Services Agency, told the Atwater City Council the federal Continuum of Care board approved the application and that the grant covers four main activities: outreach and engagement, emergency shelter, rapid rehousing/permanent housing placements and data management. “All four of those activities are covered in this grant,” he said.

Checkley placed the funding in a broader policy context, referencing recent legal and state-level changes he said have made more active encampment management possible. He also cited state programs such as CARE Court, CalAIM’s Enhanced Care Management and Proposition 1, which he said created roughly $6,000,000,000 for housing and treatment facilities. Checkley added that Merced County currently has about 270 restricted beds in production across three jurisdictions that will prioritize people experiencing homelessness.

The county is working through contracting procedures and expects to name the Merced Rescue Mission as an implementation partner shortly, Checkley said. “We hope to have the rescue mission in contract to deliver these services to the most vulnerable people in your community here shortly,” he said.

Representatives of the Merced Rescue Mission described how they plan to operate services funded by the grant. David Carr, chief operations officer, outlined an intake and case-management process that includes a comprehensive interview, goal-setting, connections to services, resource procurement and building a stable base for clients. Carr said the Rescue Mission’s goal “is to place every unhoused person in Atwater into housing, which will result in net 0 homeless population in Atwater.”

Bruce Metcalfe, the Rescue Mission’s CEO, described the organization’s capacity: a regionwide network of roughly 30–40 locations, about 350 beds in operation, about 900 meals served daily and a staff of roughly 140. Metcalfe said the Rescue Mission seeks to be “good neighbors” when siting homes and would work with neighbors and the city to minimize community impacts.

Council members praised the Rescue Mission’s model and asked operational questions. One council member asked for a recent count of people in local encampments; Checkley and Rescue Mission staff said the number fluctuates and estimated roughly 25–35 individuals currently in Atwater. Checkley said the Rescue Mission is compiling a name-by-name canvass so the program can prioritize people who live in the jurisdiction.

The presentation included options staff offered the council for contracting oversight and transparency. City staff told the council they could bring back a presentation to consider changing the warrants process (for example, moving to a receive-and-file model or posting warrant lists online) so the council could decide whether to continue formal approvals of certain checks.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the meeting agenda: passed (unanimous). - Consent calendar approval: passed (unanimous).

What comes next City and county staff said they will continue contract negotiations with the Rescue Mission and begin local outreach and canvassing. Council members requested community meetings before specific house locations are selected and emphasized attention to transportation access and whether program homes can accommodate clients’ animals as part of reducing barriers to entry.

Sources: Remarks and exchanges at the Atwater City Council meeting, as recorded in the meeting transcript. No formal ordinance or policy was adopted at this meeting; the council moved into closed session on labor negotiations at the meeting’s close.