The May 3 meeting of the community homelessness advisory board has been cancelled, and the opening of the Nevada Cares Campus for unsheltered people has been delayed for a third time—without much notice or an explanation.
The Cares Campus is located at the old Governor’s Bowl off East Fourth Street. It was supposed to be opened earlier in the spring but is now scheduled to open on May 17.
The campus is expected to serve as a central location for homeless services and provide temporary shelter and space for safe camping. Officials have said it will take months after its opening to get unsheltered people moved from campsites along the river to the new campus.
There has been conflicting information about whether or not pets will be allowed at the campus. The prohibition of pets from shelters is a common reason for unsheltered individuals to refrain from seeking services. There have also been concerns surrounding how the campus will be policed.
The Washoe County Board of County Commissioners approved a number of new positions dedicated to homeless services, but an anticipated contract for the Karma Box Project to manage the safe-camp part of the campus was removed from the agenda without discussion.
The cancelled May 3 CHAB meeting was intended to include discussion about the campus and its planned safe camp site as well as a recommendation relating to the transition of responsibility of regional shelter operations from the City of Reno to Washoe County. That meeting has been rescheduled for June 7.
Update
After this story was published, Reno City Council member Neoma Jardon responded via Twitter with details on both the delay and meeting cancellation.
