County could be eyeing Columbia motel to help house homeless
Tuolumne County will continue using the El Dorado Motel in Twain Harte to shelter people who are homeless and could be eyeing the Columbia Inn Motel on Parrotts Ferry Road as another place for efforts related to homelessness.
At a public meeting Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an amendment to the county’s contract with Golden State Hospitality Management LLC, the company that owns the El Dorado Motel at 22675 Twain Harte Drive.
The amendment increases the maximum amount that the county will pay the motel from $175,000 to $375,000, depending on the number of people temporarily housed from July 1 of last year through the end of June.
Later at the same meeting, the board went into a closed session to privately discuss property negotiations regarding the Columbia Inn Motel, at 22646 Parrotts Ferry Road in Columbia, which is currently on the market for $1.7 million.
Further negotiations over the property are scheduled to take place behind closed doors at a special board meeting on Tuesday, according to the agenda released Friday.
Negotiators for the county are identified on the agendas as County Administrator Tracie Riggs, Maureen Frank, capital improvements director for the county, and Michael Roberson, the county’s homeless services coordinator.
The negotiations have sparked rumors and online discussion among people who live in and around Columbia.
When asked about the negotiations Wednesday via email, Riggs responded that she could not say anything beyond the limited information that’s printed on the agendas because closed sessions are confidential.
“Unfortunately, we cannot comment any further at this time,” Riggs stated. “However, when (and if) we get to that point, I will ensure we provide an update to you.”
County Supervisor Jaron Brandon, who represents District 5, which includes Columbia, also said he’s legally not allowed to say anything about the negotiations other than what’s stated on the agenda and deferred questions about it to county staff.
Tuolumne wouldn’t be the first California county to buy a hotel or motel to use as a shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Through the state’s Project Homekey, part of the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $12 billion plan to combat homelessness that began in 2021, counties have received millions of dollars for repurposing hotels, motels and other unused properties as permanent supportive housing.
The $1.5 billion program has created nearly 6,000 residential units at 120 unique project sites, with more than 8,250 individuals housed through the program since its inception.
Placer County received $23.5 million last year to convert the Hampton Inn and Suites Roseville into 82 residential units that will be managed by AMI Housing, an Auburn-based nonprofit organization that provides supportive services for people who would otherwise be homeless.
In 2020, Placer County also spent $1.45 million in grant funding from programs that included Project Homekey to purchase the 14-unit 7 Pines Motel in Kings Beach and convert it into permanent, long-term housing for people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
It’s unclear at this point whether the Columbia Inn Motel would be used for permanent or temporary housing, if the county does acquire it for that purpose. The motel was built in 1970 and boasts 24 rooms, according to a listing through RE/MAX Gold.
The county has been contracting with the El Dorado Motel to temporarily shelter people since November 2021, with 82 people being housed under the arrangement through the end of last year. A county staff report noted that the total included at least seven families.
County staff said the average length of stay at the motel has been about 12 weeks, though unique circumstances may lead to longer or shorter stays.
Funding for the agreement with the motel comes entirely through state and federal sources that are specifically for providing temporary housing aid, as opposed to the county’s General Fund.
Several people at Tuesday’s meeting expressed concern about continuing to house people at the El Dorado Motel.
Twain Harte resident Jim Jordan, who also serves as an appointed member on the Tuolumne County Planning Commission, said he believes many people in the community aren’t aware of what’s happening at the hotel, and approval of any future sites for temporary housing should go through a public process.