The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors has approved two major initiatives aimed at tackling homelessness and mental health challenges in Lodi, a city that has seen rising rates of unsheltered individuals and strained public resources.
The board Monday green lit funding for 12 transitional respite beds at the soon-to-open Lodi Access Center, as well as a long-term lease for 40 units of transitional housing in the city’s downtown. The initiatives mark a deepening partnership between the county and the city of Lodi, which local leaders say could serve as a model for other mid-sized cities grappling with similar issues.
“We are making real investments that will not only help people get off the streets,” Supervisor Steve Ding, who represents Lodi, said in a press release, “but also provide the health care, shelter, and support they need to rebuild their lives.”
Rising need, urgent action
The new projects are part of a broader regional response to a growing homelessness crisis. According to the 2024 Point-in-Time count, Lodi had 416 people experiencing homelessness — 262 of them unsheltered. That marks an 18% increase from just two years prior, with unsheltered homelessness alone rising 25%…