Since opening its doors on Feb. 24, 2020, the Davis Respite Center has served as a critical and consistent daytime refuge for unhoused individuals in Davis, providing stability in a system often marked by disruption and uncertainty.
The center operates as a daytime resource hub, allowing unhoused individuals to access necessities such as internet access and laundry services that are often unavailable elsewhere. Respite Center worker Vernon McZeke said that on Fridays, the center partners with a mobile medical team to assist individuals with medical needs.
Since 2020, the center has undergone several administrative changes, transitioning from CommuniCare to the Davis Street Team before ultimately operating as the Davis Respite Center.
The center is currently staffed by three full-time, in-house employees who conduct citywide outreach and provide immediate assistance to unhoused residents. As part of a shift toward a more cost-effective model, the city plans to add two additional staff positions and manage the center internally, replacing a significantly more expensive contractor-based model.
According to city data, nonprofit organizations that proposed operating the center submitted substantially higher budgets. The in-house model keeps annual costs at approximately $505,000, which includes staffing and building expenses. By remaining at its current location at 530 L St., the city also avoids additional relocation costs, further reducing overall spending.
Barbara Archer, the public information officer for the city of Davis, said the city is evaluating cost, service quality, experience and a housing-first approach when considering a new operator. She added that the city is also prioritizing trauma-informed practices, case management and community outreach.
City officials plan to measure performance through service delivery expectations, reporting, follow-through and other metrics, as well as budget management, results and feedback from both unsheltered individuals and nearby community members.
Despite these efforts, the city is still discussing long-term funding for the center, along with the possibility of relocation.
Ariana Domenico, a public safety specialist at the Respite Center, said consistency and familiarity are critical to building trust among those who use the services. “That consistency is what brings people back here,” Domenico said.
When discussing the potential relocation of the center, McZeke expressed concern that distance could create new barriers for some unhoused individuals. “It could pose a challenge for some folks to access services,” McZeke said.
Looking ahead, McZeke said he hopes to expand the services offered at the center, focusing on empowerment and long-term support. “We’re moving toward empowering people and supporting people in more sustainable ways,” McZeke said.
Domenico echoed that goal, saying she hopes to see greater community involvement and collaboration at the center. “I’d like to see more folks get involved at the respite and more collaborative efforts overall,” Domenico said.
Gretchen Peralta, a community member who frequently volunteers at the Respite Center and a mother who lost her son while he was living on the streets, emphasized the importance of trust and stability for unhoused individuals.
“People look for trust and continuity,” Peralta said. “They turn to the support they find at the Respite Center.”
Peralta said that for city leaders to fully understand the impact of the center, the Davis City Council should spend a day there. “They would be able to see firsthand the benefit of the center,” she said.
She added that uncertainty surrounding the center’s future creates instability, making it harder for services to succeed. Without clear direction and commitment, Peralta said, the progress built through trust and consistency is at risk.
As the city continues to evaluate funding, staffing and the potential relocation of the Davis Respite Center, community members and staff agree that stability will be crucial moving forward. For those who rely on the center, consistency is more than convenience; it is the foundation of trust, support and progress.
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What is this, a propaganda pres release from a few employees at the City trying to justify their jobs, laundered through a high-school newspaper? This is virtually word-for-word what was said by pro-Respite staff at the last City Council meeting. But there is nothing in here about the broken promises by the City to the adjacent neighborhood, the effect of the ‘clientele’ on the neighborhood, the lack of documentation by staff, the concentration of so-called homeless all in one part of District 3, the lack of ‘rotation’ in what was supposed to be a ‘rotating’ shelter, numerous incidents with homeless within blocks being in peoples yards and even houses, poop in yards, the poor financial numbers, the broken showers and washing machines, the fact the neighborhood was promised the ‘clientele’ would have a place to go at night — in 2019!!!! — or that things are so bad that now three out five council members said at the last City Council meeting that it needs to be moved, and one even said it may need to be shut down, the money transferred to programs that work. This is just a puff piece for a known failure . . . one last desperate attempt to get to the arse-end of the Titanic before it tilts arse-skyward and shoots into the depths of the Atlantic.
This community member wants the ‘Respite Center’ SHUT DOWN.
Finding a homeless person sitting casually on the toilet in my house defecating was NOT appreciated!
Note: This incident was recent and the location three blocks from the Respite Center on the route most used by those walking from the Respite Center to downtown.
I recently visited the respite center. The washers and dryers don’t work. One of three showers does not work. The indoor area has very limited space. If the weather is bad, they can accommodate ten to twelve people maximum indoors. The facility has very limited amenities. Moving to a better facility would provide so much more for the people being served. The staff are doing a great job with very limited resources!