Grants Pass in Southern Oregon has faced an increasingly visible homelessness problem in recent years, including a series of lawsuits.
The goal of Pathways to Stability is to provide one centralized hub for service providers, as well as transitional housing for between 150 and 250 homeless people.
Kevin Darr is the senior pastor of the drug and alcohol program U-Turn For Christ, which is driving this proposal. He said this new project would get all the regional providers working together in the same location.
“Everybody was doing this little piece or this little piece, sometimes almost to the detriment of other things, not on purpose,” he said. “It takes collaboration from all of the nonprofits, the other organizations that are working in this field.”
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Pathways seems to have buy-in from many service providers in the region.
Jeromy Ford is a counselor at U-Turn For Christ and the executive director of Pathways. He was formerly homeless himself and said even though it’s early days, he thinks Grants Pass is on the verge of solving its homelessness problem.
“Everybody’s bought in, everybody is willing to help, willing to step up, willing to participate and do what’s needed to address the situation here in Grant Pass because it’s only going to keep getting worse,” he said. “It’s not going to get any better unless we get in front of it. And I think we’re in a position to get in front of it right now.”
Kevin Darr, left, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Grants Pass and U Turn For Christ, with Jeromy Ford, counselor at U Turn For Christ and executive director of Pathways to Stability.
Jane Vaughan / JPR
The site would have a secured entry and rules, like not using drugs or alcohol. Although U-Turn For Christ is spearheading Pathways, Ford said religious service would not be mandated.
While living at the site, people would have access to services like mental health treatment and job training to “address the root issues that are causing people to be homeless,” Ford said. They also want to work on homelessness prevention.
The goal, he said, is “to work ourselves out of a job.”
The idea has gotten many residents excited.
At a city council meeting in April, Holli Morton, chair of the county’s Republican Party, called it “a really great idea that I think is going be fantastic for this community. It checks off a lot of boxes.”
Julie Thomas, president of Partners Assisting the Homeless, said Pathways to Stability is “an opportunity to actually advocate for something that provides us long-term solutions.”
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But not everyone is supportive. At the same meeting, Councilor Indra Nicholas had some concerns.
“I am not for enabling people. And I see this as they’re getting free medical, free clothes, free food, free free free,” she said. “And who, from any area in our state, would not want to come here for free stuff in a giant mecca of help?”
Pathways to Stability still has a long way to go.
They’re trying to lease a 7.8-acre property on the north side of Grants Pass, just outside city limits, but that hasn’t been finalized.
The industrial property, on northwest Vine Street, is currently used for container storage and has an estimated real market value of approximately $1.9 million, according to the Josephine County Assessor.
They hope for the program to be funded primarily by private grants and donations.
Jane Vaughan is a reporter with Jefferson Public Radio. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
