Kathy King, Director of The Haven homeless shelter in Sonoma, announced that the Memorandum of Understanding between SOS (the shelter operator) and the City of Sonoma has been signed, and the overnight parking program for five vehicles was initiated just before the holidays, beginning on December 19th.
“The SOS staff is going to participate in a training by four or five Sheriff police personnel…SOS has hired a security company that will patrol the parking lot 3-times-a night since we’re responsible for the whole parking lot and then make sure no additional cars park in it,” King reported.
Participants in the overnight parking program adjacent to the shelter will have to vacate the parking lot by 7 AM each morning; the SOS monitor will ensure that the area is kept clean and that all cars exit the lot.
The overnight parking program was proposed many months ago and the hope was it could begin before the cold and rain took hold, but it needed to wait to begin operations until Sonoma’s Planning Commission and City Council held public hearings on the proposal and the Memorandum of Understanding was finalized. The parking program will be evaluated by the city after it stops operation in March of 2017; funding for it has been provided by donations from the community. The parking lot used for the program is city property, located next to the Police Station on 1st Street West.
“SOS has also opened, on December 9th, overflow winter shelter at Sonoma Alliance Church that will continue through the end of March, thanks to a Grant from the County,” King added.
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