Mountain View Expands Cold Weather Shelter to Operate for Six Months
Mountain View’s cold weather homeless shelter, which has long provided a safe, warm place for unhoused women and families during the winter, may soon extend its operations to six months a year, offering additional services to those in need.
Since 2017, Trinity United Methodist Church has partnered with Santa Clara County and HomeFirst, a nonprofit organization, to open its doors from mid-November to March. The shelter provides not only a place to sleep but also essential services to the unhoused population. Now, the county is looking to extend this program to run from mid-October until mid-April to provide even greater support.
The proposal, however, requires cooperation from the city. On Tuesday, October 8, the Mountain View City Council is set to vote on a three-year agreement that would allocate 15 parking spaces at Lot 7 on Hope Street for use by shelter participants and staff. If approved, the parking spaces would be available from 3 p.m. to 9 a.m. daily, starting November 1 and running through April 15. For the following two years, the spaces would be reserved from October 15 through April 15.
According to a city report, the allocation of these 15 spaces is not expected to significantly impact peak daytime parking availability. The lot has 94 spaces, and roughly 75% are typically occupied during business hours.
The shelter, which can accommodate up to 50 people or about 10 families, anticipates needing eight parking spaces for families with vehicles, based on a similar program in Sunnyvale. HomeFirst is not requesting spaces for single women, who generally rely on public transportation. Seven spaces will be reserved for staff, partners, and volunteers.
In addition to the parking arrangement, the shelter will require a provisional use permit to extend its operations. A public hearing to discuss the permit is scheduled for Wednesday, October 9.
