There will be more housing available for Turlock families transitioning out of homelessness following City Council action to partner once again with nonprofit Family Promise.

The Turlock City Council approved an agreement at their Sept. 22 meeting with nonprofit Family Promise to provide transitional housing services for local homeless families at a City-purchased house on Springville Way.

The City of Turlock purchased a three bedroom, two bathroom single-family house using federal housing funds with the aim of providing more transitional housing in town. Family Promise will facilitate finding a homeless family in need of housing and help them find work and other necessities to become stable. Families typically stay in the transitional housing for six to 12 months before finding a permanent home of their own.

“Every child in our community needs a home, deserves a home and an opportunity to thrive,” said Tamra Losinski with Family Promise.

Family Promise is part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a partnership of local congregations, offers an opportunity for volunteers of all faiths to reduce homelessness and transform lives. The organization provides intensive case management services helping families set up a plan to find work and manage their resources – always with a goal toward providing a secure home for their children.

This is the second time the City of Turlock has partnered with Family Promise. Last year, the organization took over management of a duplex on Soderquist Road slated for transitional housing. That property currently houses two families who were formerly homeless, including three adults and six children.

“Having affordable housing has provided the stability for both families to have an adult who has maintained employment through this pandemic. I think that is remarkable. These are people who are working and continue to pay rent in the City of Turlock,” said Losinski

Losinski said her organization already has a family in mind for this new house. In the month of July, Family Promise got a call from the Turlock Police Department about a grandmother and three children who were homeless. Since then, the organization has provided housing at a motel along with meals and other supplies.

“We are grateful for your partnership. We continue to look for affordable housing opportunities in the community and ways that we can work together to end homelessness one family at a time,” said Losinski.

All of the Council members were in support of the partnership.

“It’s really a gap in the services that our City is able to provide to this wonderful population, which is that family housing component. We wouldn’t be able to fill that gap without our staff finding these opportunities and (Family Promise) stepping in to facilitate that,” said Councilmember Nicole Larson.

The City of Turlock has 105 emergency homeless shelter beds, with the majority for men only.