The city of Delano is coming up on almost one year without homeless services. In that time, many conversations regarding potential solutions have come up and not long ago, that solution was created.
Back on April 6th, in a 5–0 vote, Delano City Council approved $50,000 from the general budget to go to the Homeward Bound Program, a partnership with code enforcement and police that provides one-time relocation assistance for people experiencing homelessness.
“We saw a need here and the council saw the need,” said Delano Chief of Police Jerry Nicholson.
The program is open to anyone in need, not just those experiencing homelessness.
“It could be somebody who is traveling through the area and don’t have enough gas or they’re trying to get home and need a bus fare,” Nicholson said.
Chief Nicholson says assistance can include gas, bus fare, meals, and short-term hotel stays. Funding per person is capped to stretch the program as far as possible.
The program also runs under strict guidelines as relocation assistance is only provided after officers confirm there is a verified destination and someone is expecting the individual upon arrival.
The approval of this program now makes it the city’s only homeless service initiative, following the closure of the Delano Navigation Center in 2025.
Delano P.D says they intend to keep this program running indefinitely and will be doing periodic check ins with the city to provide stats on the success of the program.
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