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ROHNERT PARK, CA - The City of Rohnert Park and HomeFirst are pleased to announce the successful closure of the Robert's Lake Safe Sleeping Program.
The safe sleeping program, located at the Roberts Lake Park and Ride, was closed after the final resident moved out on January 31, 2024. The closure of the site represents a significant achievement for the City and its partners. Between October 2022 and January 2024, 122 individuals were served; 72% of those individuals moved into interim or permanent housing.
"This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness in our community. The Roberts Lake Safe Sleeping Program demonstrated the compassion of our city and its partners and the initiative needed to achieve our program goals. Together, we've provided stability and support to those in need while guiding them toward interim and permanent housing solutions. This success underscores our commitment to creating a safer, more inclusive Rohnert Park,” said Rohnert Park Mayor Susan Adams.
In October 2022, the City began a coordinated effort to reorganize a large, unregulated homeless encampment at the Roberts Lake Park and Ride. In partnership with HomeFirst and Defense Block Security, a "safe sleeping" program was implemented at the site with the following goals: stop the growth of the encampment, increase safety, and manage the encampment to closure by transitioning the unhoused individuals to stable housing.
Program participants were provided with housing and supportive services and were connected with transitional and permanent housing, including temporary housing at Labath Landing, an interim housing program in Rohnert Park. To ensure the safety of the participants, as well as that of the neighboring businesses and residences, 24/7 security was provided.
“These types of programs are important,” said Julian Elliot, Director of HomeFirst’s Emergency Housing Division. “The ability to have a place, even in a ‘camping’ setting that is safe from theft, vandalism, and violence, can provide a sense of stability and peace of mind that is so important when looking towards the future.”
Grant funding was provided through the County of Sonoma’s Measure O Program, which helped offset City funding. The County also assisted in connecting individuals from the encampment to interim and permanent housing throughout the county.
Tackling homelessness is a priority for the City of Rohnert Park. The County of Sonoma’s 2023 Point-In-Time Count, a count of people experiencing homelessness in the county, identified 210 unhoused individuals residing in Rohnert Park. This number reflects a 43% decline in the city’s homelessness from 2022 and highlights the successes of the city’s innovative initiatives to address homelessness.
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