Friday, March 29 was the official groundbreaking of St. Mary’s Pathways Project for the Homeless; a homeless shelter in Stockton that is expected to open in fall 2024.

Representative Josh Harder (CA-9), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, helped secure $850,000 for the construction of the Pathways Project, a homeless shelter in Stockton led by St. Mary’s Community Services. There are around 900 people in Stockton experiencing homelessness, and this shelter will be able to house nearly 300 people at a time while providing support services, case management, and housing navigation to transition them into permanent housing.

St. Mary’s Pathways Project is on track to open its doors in the fall, thanks in part to the Community Project Funding (CPF) that Rep. Harder secured. The shelter will have private temporary shelter units with 288 beds, including 108 single rooms, 67 double rooms, and 46 recuperative care units. The Pathways Project will be a low-barrier shelter, meaning there are fewer restrictions on who and what individuals can bring with them. Many homeless individuals don’t go to shelters because of rules against bringing partners, personal belongings, and pets, as well as the lack of privacy. This shelter aims to eliminate those barriers so that more people can get the help they need to get off the street and rebuild their lives.

“The homelessness crisis in our community keeps getting worse. We have to help get people off the streets so they can rebuild their lives and get back on track,” said Harder. “The Pathways Project will help house nearly 300 individuals at a time and set them up for long-term success. I’m glad we were able to secure this funding so we can get this shelter open ASAP.”

Members of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors were on hand Friday for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

“This project advances our mission to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. It is a collaborative and transformational effort to address homelessness by providing the most vulnerable a safe place to stay while working to address their barriers to long-term housing,” said Petra Linden, CEO of St. Mary’s Community Services.