San Joaquin County to consider Oakmoore Golf Course as safe camping site for homeless

Posted by Admin November 25, 2024 Golf

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The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors are considering turning the shuttered Oakmoore Golf Course in Stockton into a safe camping site for the unhoused.

Supervisors recently approved a notice of intention to purchase two parcels of land, totaling 67.25 acres, located at 3737 and 3801 N. Wilson Way. The land, which is owned by Gurpartap Singh of Oakmoore Properties, includes the golf course clubhouse as well as three homes.

Supervisors have not yet decided on a use for the property. However, they are planning to discuss a short-term plan and a long-term plan for the property, which involves safe camping.

Safe camping provides a dedicated space for unhoused individuals to live in tents, provided by the county, on a short-term basis.

The 2024 Point-in-Time Count reported a total of 4,732 people experiencing homelessness in San Joaquin County, compared to 2,319 in 2022 and 2,629 in 2019.

The county’s short-term plan is to use a small portion of the property — about three acres — for a safe camping site. The long-term plan includes the possibility of moving the community development, environmental health, and public works departments to the site.

District 2 Supervisor Paul Canepa said the county had been looking for a property for safe camping, and he expressed excitement over the golf course.

If the plans are approved by the board, supportive services will be in place at the camping site, along with rules and regulations to keep the area clean and free of drugs and crime, according to county officials.

“It’s an absolute home run,” Canepa said before the Nov. 12 vote on the property.

District 3 Supervisor Tom Patti commended the board for its willingness to partner with cities to find solutions to homelessness, but also for “really doing more than what a lot of counties are doing.”

The county has set a price limit of $9.6 million. The board is set to make a decision on the purchase at its Dec. 10 meeting.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.