Stockton, CA – The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors today voted unanimously to allocate $1.5 million toward the completion of the Gospel Center Rescue Mission's New Life Program Multi-Purpose Center. This funding, drawn from interest accrued through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), brings the County's total investment in the project to $3.5 million.
The 110-bed facility will provide recovery services, vocational training, and transitional support to individuals experiencing homelessness, including 27 beds dedicated to medical recuperative care. When operational, it will play a crucial role in breaking the cycle of homelessness by offering stable shelter, job readiness programs, and pathways to self-sufficiency.
Board Chair Paul Canepa praised the move as both compassionate and fiscally responsible. “This is more than a building,” said Chair Canepa. “It is an investment in people, and it reflects smart governance. When we help people stabilize their lives, we reduce the long-term costs of homelessness on healthcare, law enforcement, and the justice system. This is how we create safer neighborhoods and stronger communities.”
District One Supervisor Mario Gardea, who brought the item forward, acknowledged his own shift in perspective. “I was always a little skeptical of these kinds of programs,” said Supervisor Gardea. “But when you sit in the audience at a graduation and watch someone walk across the stage after years on the street, it changes you. The success rate is real and the impact is undeniable. I am proud to support this program and the lives it is transforming.”
The Board's approval uses interest-earned funds at no extra cost to the County and unlocks $2 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank, a privately owned bank system, allowing the Gospel Center Rescue Mission to finish the facility and begin serving clients in December.
The project supports San Joaquin County's broader efforts to address homelessness with effective, long-term solutions that reduce public costs and keep vulnerable residents out of costly cycles of incarceration and emergency care.
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Correction: A previous version of this release incorrectly referred to the $2 million funding source as federal support. The funds come from the Federal Home Loan Bank, a privately owned bank system, not the federal government.
