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City outlines plan to close North Napa Center as state grant ends, shifts focus to housing navigation
Summary
City staff said state Encampment Resolution grant funding that supported the North Napa Center will end in June 2026; staff described demobilization plans to avoid returns to homelessness and to shift resources toward rental assistance, housing navigation and tenancy care while exploring limited hotel voucher options.
City staff told the Napa City Council on March 17 that the state grant that funded the North Napa Center is expiring and the city plans to close the motel‑based site on June 30, 2026 unless new funding becomes available.
Molly Radigan (staff) said the city was awarded about $15 million in June 2023 to open and operate the North Napa Center and that, although the state has extended the expenditure deadline to June 22, 2027, the site lease at the former Motel 6 expires June 30, 2026. Radigan said staff paused new intakes in January and is now focused on transitioning residents to permanent housing or other support: "Our goal is that nobody has to return to homelessness," she said.
Staff reported the center had served roughly 180 individuals and, to date, housed 56 participants with several more leases in process; as of earlier in the week staff counted 43 people remaining on site. Radigan said the city will emphasize rental assistance, housing navigation and tenancy care for residents who can be placed quickly and intends to coordinate placements to the South Napa Shelter for individuals who are particularly challenging to house. The presentation also noted contingency options such as limited hotel vouchers or temporary room rentals if immediate housing is not available.
Scott Wagner of Abode (Northern Region) praised the program’s impact and highlighted the role of case management, saying the program helped people stabilize and move into housing. Wagner said data previously showed a 42% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in Napa and called the center part of a broader set of investments that produced measurable results.
Councilmembers thanked staff and partners, described the program as a success that changed lives and encouraged staff to continue seeking funding and opportunities that replicate the model in the future. The item was informational; no formal council action was taken at the meeting.
