BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The permit needed to help homeless women and children in our community by turning a house into a transitional home, was approved Thursday night by the City Planning Commission board.
The non-profit Casa Esperanza is looking to provide a "safe and supportive” transitional home for homeless women and their children in a traditional neighborhood off of 1421 Panorama Drive.
The non-profit sought a conditional permit to allow six families and 24/7 staff resident on site.
During the two-hour-plus meeting, the commission board heard from Casa Esperanza directly who said that this would be one tool to address homelessness.
The non-profit expressed that these families would not create issues.
"You can’t just walk up to Casa Esperanza and get in," said a board member of Casa Esperanza.
"You will have to have referrals, go through a vetting process and there will be multiple interviews. If the person is accepted they will have to agree to all of those rules."
During the planning commissions meetings, a lot of neighbors spoke out against the project.
Much expressing concern for the future of their neighborhood.
Casa Esperanza says they have made attempts to work with the neighborhood to find solutions that work for both parties.
The non-profit says the neighbor's solution is for them to go elsewhere.
Several commissioner members shared that if it were their neighborhood they would not mind living next to a home like this and praised the non-profit for their efforts to provide a transitional home for the families.
The members say they acknowledged the concerns of neighbors but decided to approve the project.
Anyone who wishes to appeal has ten days to do so in writing and addressed to the city council.
