Two years ago this week, State Sen. Susan Eggman handed City of Manteca leaders a $16 million oversized “check” from the state to fund the building of a homeless navigation center.

The presentation took place on the edge of Carnegie Court in the Manteca Industrial Park.

In the background was the future site for the navigation center on the back part of 8 plus acres at 682 Main Street.

Today, the site is still vacant.

And it may not be until early 2025 until ground breaks.

Why the delay?

One word— bureaucracy.

Given federal funds are also involved in the project, there have been more hoops than normal for the City of Manteca to jump through.

But the one that broadsided the city was its decision to use the design and build approach.

In a nutshell, it allows the maximum flexibility to make changes for either unforeseen issues or if something comes up during construction that can allow for a better outcome.

It  tends to save money as it eliminates the need for change orders that can delay and increase the cost of construction.

The city has used the design and build process before as has the Manteca Unified School District.

The bottom line for both agencies has been slightly lower cost projects, the ability to make late improvements, and to finish projects quicker.

Unfortunately, federal agencies that must sign off on homeless projects that will involve federal funds — regardless of the amount — weren’t that familiar with the process.

City Manager Toni Lundgren noted that while actual physical work hasn’t started on a structure per se, “lots of work is being done.”

That includes not just wrapping up the request for proposals to design and build the navigation center are all required environmental vetting, but also working on templates for how the center and its programs will be operated.

The city’s current timeline is to award the design and build contract prior to year’s end.

The RFP when it is issued will list the preferred number of beds.

That said, whatever number that ends up being in the RFP, the process allows for flexibility after work gets underway.

“The design build allows more flexibility and savings but it was no joke to get it together,” Lundgren said.

It was now Mayor Gary Singh working with Eggman when he was a council membes that led to Governor Gavin Newsom awarding the $16 million state grant in June of 2022.

It is the biggest state grant the city has ever obtained.

In addition, it is the largest known homeless grant California awarded to a city under 100,000 for a homeless navigation center.

Eggman two years ago noted the success Manteca enjoyed was based on its somewhat novel holistic approach.

The homeless navigation center — that can only be accessed from Carnegie Court — will be built on the eastern portion of the property.

It will also include transitional housing for “clients” after issues keeping them on the street are addressed and they then obtain jobs.

The front portion of the property is planned for development as low-income housing in the form of apartments.

The ground floor would include retail space as well as space for work-live studios to serve as incubators for start-up businesses.

Altogether, the city has amassed roughly $20 million in state and federal funds to move the project forward.

The city hopes to design it in such a manner that the existing homeless portable dorms at the temporary emergency shelter site at 555 Industrial Park Drive can be moved to the navigation center to provide additional beds.

The portable structures at the emergency shelter also includes a bathroom/showers modular and one for cooking and dining.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com