Housing and Homeless Services

Parking is available for functioning, licensed, and registered automobiles that participants are using for transportation regularly.  

Below are the service eligibility requirements as outlined in the Washoe County Nevada Cares Campus
Policies:

1. Nevada Cares Campus participants must be currently experiencing homelessness and want to end their homelessness as quickly as they can do so.
2. Nevada Cares Campus participants must be willing to treat all other Nevada Cares Campus participants with respect and not engage in any theft, destruction of property or violence towards staff or other Nevada Cares Campus participants.
3. Nevada Cares Campus participants must be at least 18 years of age. Unaccompanied minors seeking shelter will be referred to the appropriate resource.
4. Nevada Cares Campus participants must be ambulatory enough to get in and out of their bed on their own and independently take care of activities of daily living, such as feeding themselves, hygiene and bathroom needs.
5. Nevada Cares Campus participants do not need to be citizens of the United States, nor do they have to have any documented immigration status, to be eligible for Nevada Cares Campus services.
6. One of the goals of the Nevada Cares Campus is to minimize the barriers that prevent people from accessing services. This means the Nevada Cares Campus will serve people who are actively using drugs and/or alcohol; who have no income; and who may not be medication or treatment compliant. However, no drugs or alcohol are allowed on campus and no selling or giving away drugs or alcohol is allowed.
7. Previous Nevada Cares Campus participants that have been released from the program or excluded from the premises due to violence towards staff or other Nevada Cares Campus participants, or due to selling or giving away drugs at the Nevada Cares Campus, will not be permitted to be at the Nevada Cares Campus per the sit out timeframes.
8. Until a day center is open, day services are available for anyone seeking showers, laundry or a meal between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm.

Criteria for emergency bed:

• Provide name
• Date of birth
• Share the resources one is seeking

The Nevada Cares Campus Emergency Shelter provides breakfast, lunch and dinner for individuals.

• Pastries and juice are provided as participants begin to wake for the day around 5:30 am.
• Lunch is at 11:30 am and dinner is at 4:30 pm. 

The line for meals typically starts 30 minutes beforehand and security will check any bags a person is carrying for any drugs, alcohol, or weapons.

As a low barrier shelter, requirements to obtain a shelter bed do not include compliance with medication, case management or other services.

When able, case managers make referrals to programs that include mental health services such as ReStart.

An intake at the Nevada Cares Campus is conducted by a Volunteers of America (VOA) case manager when case management staff are on shift (Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.). For participants seeking shelter outside of those hours, basic intake information is collected and full intake is completed by the next available case manager.  The current intake process includes:

• Diversion: Which includes assessing if a participant has other housing resources or options available to them such as reuniting with family or friends
• A crisis needs assessment: Which includes basic personal information, to determine the appropriateness of the shelter
• An individualized housing and service plan is created
• A bed, locker, and small storage container is then assigned, and a general overview of the campus layout is provided. Information on how to access a case manager is provided as well

The Nevada Cares Campus Emergency Shelter is located at:

1800 Threlkel St., Reno, NV, 89512

Open 24 hrs.

Contact Phone Number: 775-329-4141 

Participant feedback is incorporated in the operational model by a Nevada Cares Campus Emergency Shelter Participant Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is comprised of current participants only who show interest or were nominated by their case workers. The team attempts to touch multiple demographics with board membership such as 1 single female, 1 single male, 1 couple, a participant with an animal and a participant from every section.

The purpose of this Advisory board is to give participants a voice on issues involving the emergency shelter and review the entries submitted to the suggestion boxes that are located in every dorm.  This board meets on a weekly basis and advises the Contracted Operator and Washoe County staff on how they can improve services.

Policies and procedures have been developed for participants, to maintain a safe environment where all participants are treated with dignity and respect. The Nevada Cares Campus Emergency Shelter follows a low barrier, harm reduction model to be as inclusive as possible.

To view the Nevada Cares Campus Emergency Shelter polices, please click here.

With the transfer of the operation of the shelter, Washoe County is assessing the current metrics being reported. The team plans to build on the foundation already established by Volunteers of America (VOA), the contracted operator, and report additional metrics on the County website in the future.

Best practice is 1 case manager to 20-30 individuals.  Case management ratios for this population are not recommended to be higher than 1:30 for lower acuity individuals and no more than 1:10 for higher acuity individuals requiring more intensive case management.

Currently, there are 9 case managers employed by Volunteers of America (VOA), the contracted operator, ratio: 1:67. Please note, there is a distinction between case managers and floor staffing. Floor staffing ratios are 1:25. Staffing at the Nevada Cares Campus is Washoe County’s number one priority during this transition.

The shelter's goal is to exit people to permanent housing within 90 days. 

We will be establishing a baseline measurement which future improvement can be measured against. These metrics will be consistently analyzed and shared with the community on the Washoe County Housing and Homeless Services County webpage.

A model is being developed to bring services on site and Washoe County is working on partnerships with existing programs. Programs and services offered will be housing or employment focused.

If interested in donating, volunteering or fundraising opportunities, please visit our Community Engagement page, here. 

Throughout December 2021 and January 2022, the Board of County Commissioners approved the following staff:

• 14 additional Front Line Staff (VOA staff)
• Diversion/ Intake Team (Current team of 10 VOA staff)
• 21 Case Managers (1:30 ratio, Washoe County staff)
• 6 Mental Health Counselors (Washoe County staff)
• 2 Additional Administrative staff: (Washoe County staff)
  • Community Partnerships and Volunteers, Staff/ Training Development
  • Medical Billing Specialist (Implement Medicaid Reimbursement)
• 24-hour RN/EMS Support (Contracted)

A couple of these positions are under recruitment and/or will be posted in the near future. To view job openings, please click here.

Construction is anticipated to start early 2022. We are working on developing a page to be a resource to the community which will include the phases of construction to follow progress.

The Nevada Cares Campus emergency shelter is a Washoe County program serviced by a contract operator, Volunteers of America (VOA). The contracted operator is responsible for the day-to-day operations and responsible for hiring staff.

After many community conversations about the need for expanding the capacity for emergency shelter, in a concurrent meeting on November 18, 2020, the Washoe County Board of Commissioners and the City of Reno and Sparks City Councils voted to acquire and cost share three parcels on East 4^th Street for the purpose of expanding shelter capacity in the region to assist people experiencing homelessness.

One of the purchased parcels included the Governor’s Bowl Park which was discussed to be a safe camping location.  The location was identified to serve as a safe space where people living in encampments could relocate providing access to basic services and a more secure location for individuals not wishing to move into shelters.

Policies and procedures have been developed for participants, to maintain a safe environment where all participants are treated with dignity and respect. The Safe Camp follows a low barrier, harm reduction model to be as inclusive as possible. 

Please note: Weapons, drugs and alcohol aren’t allowed onsite at the Safe Camp. If a participant is found with drugs or alcohol they will be asked to dispose of the items or take them offsite.  

The Safe Camp is designed to be as low barrier as possible while maintaining the safety of all participants. Couples and single adults 18 years of age and older will be eligible to stay at the safe camp, sobriety will not be a requirement for admission to the Safe Camp, in regards to pets, the team is exploring how to accommodate pets at the safe camp. 

Admission Criteria 

• To be eligible the person must be willing to work towards a housing plan and be able to manage their own activities of daily living.
• A very simple application form has been developed that asks the bare minimum amount of information needed to be able to make an admission decision and ensure the person meets the minimum criteria.

Pilot Partners

• Given this is a pilot program, we will be distributing and collecting applications through pilot partners to pilot the application process.
• Applications will ONLY be distributed to pilot partners, who are the only people that can submit an application on someone’s behalf, however, any community member can work with a pilot partner to get an application submitted.
• Pilot partner group is comprised of people who are doing outreach with an existing organization or government entity.

Pilot partners include

• Eddy House
• Health Plan of Nevada
• Washoe County MOST team
• City of Reno - Clean and Safe Program 
• Safe Camp Case Manager
• Karma Box Project

Application Review

• The Washoe County Housing and Homeless Services (WCHHS) team will review applications for completeness.
• Pilot partners will be engaged to review the list of applications and assist in the development of the approved participant list.
• Pilot partners will assist in determining ideal move in dates and existing community groups that may desire to be placed in tent groupings in close proximity and/or have corresponding move in dates.

The Safe Camp is in the development phase for the long-term camp. As this process takes time, Washoe County developed a temporary site to operate while construction for the long-term site is underway. The temporary site opened June 17, 2021.

The layout, budget and construction timeline for the long term site are currently being established. Professional staff are engaged in the infrastructure development to address all location matters including site grading, emergency access, ADA access, drainage, utilities, etc. A tentative opening date for long-term site will be shared as soon as it becomes available.

The Safe Camp is intended to implement a harm reduction model and sobriety is not required to be a Safe Camp participant. However, for the safety of those in the Safe Camp, drugs, alcohol, and weapons are not allowed on premises. If a participant is found with drugs or alcohol they will be asked to dispose of the items or take them offsite. 

Participant feedback is incorporated in the operational model by a Safe Camp Participant Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is comprised of Safe Camp participants only and per the Advisory Board Charter, includes Officers elected to positions by members of the Advisory Board.

The purpose of this Advisory board is to give Safe Camp Participants a voice on issues involving the Safe Camp, housing of homeless persons, and other services provided. This board meets on a weekly basis and advises the Contracted Operator and the Homeless Services Program Specialist on how they can improve services.

All Safe Camp participants are invited to attend meetings to provide feedback. 

Lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages are provided to all Safe Camp participants.

To provide a sanctioned location for people currently living outside that reduces the environmental, public health and safety concerns of unregulated encampments.

To provide a sanctioned camping location to reduce the negative impacts of unsheltered people being forcibly removed from a location.

From this stable location, engage Safe Camp participants in housing focused conversations, service referrals and housing placements.

A model is being developed to bring services on site and Washoe County is working on partnerships with existing programs. Programs and services offered will be housing or employment focused.

Linkages to transportation was a key consideration for the Safe Camp location.  The safe camp is 0.2 miles away from the nearest bus stop location at the 6^th and 4^th street intersection.  This bus stop provides access to the 4^th street bus station, a key hub for bus transportation in our area.

Washoe County has established a full time Washoe County position, to oversee the administration of the Safe Camp. In addition, the Safe Camp is a Washoe County initiative with a contracted operator.

The contracted operator is responsible for the day to day operating of the safe camp and is responsible for hiring staff for that specific role. Washoe County has also contracted with a social worker to provide housing focused case management and 24/7 contracted security staff.

Portable propane heaters are not allowed in tents at the Safe Camp due to fire safety risk and close proximity of the tents.

Additionally, personal heaters have previously been reported in a tent fatality.  

Fires are not allowed onsite. Options to provide shelter from adverse weather events such as cold, wildfire smoke, extreme heat, etc. are explored.

On June 17th, 2021, when the Safe Camp pilot program initiated, the program provided participants a tent, sleeping bag and a cot to sleep on in a specific location within the temporary Safe Camp site. As the team continued to assess the program, the decision to transition from tents to individual ModPods was made late Fall 2021.

Participants are invited to bring any possessions that can fit within their assigned ModPod. Safe storage of belongings will be accommodated as capacity allows. 

We are exploring all options for the safety of the individuals staying at the Safe Camp to include any drainage issues that may exist. Washoe County is developing this site in partnership with our Community Services Department, who have licensed staff to assist with these challenges in site development.

The Safe Camp will be a Washoe County initiative with a contracted operator. The contracted operator will be responsible for the day to day operations of the safe camp such as intake and participant conflict resolution.

Ordinances related to camping in non-designated areas are being explored by the applicable jurisdictions. Water quality and safety are key concerns of encampments along the river. The Safe Camp will provide a place where campers will not be subject to jurisdictional sweeps and where amenities such as restrooms, handwashing and trash disposal will be offered.

While Washoe County is aware of this need in our community, safe parking locations for vehicles and/or RVs are not planned for the Safe Camp at this time.