Going UP

Ribbon-cutting ceremony planned

About Town – TUESDAY, 4/7/26

The new Main Street transitional housing complex finally received its long-awaited elevator inspection and will be opening to new residents soon, according to city spokeswoman Nancy Sarieh. A ribbon-cutting is planned for the “Reimagined Housing” units on April 29. The yearslong saga began with a $3 million grant from Health Plan of San Joaquin. Most of the money went to purchase the old Star Hotel at 22 S. Main. The balance was used to rehab the property after hotel occupants were relocated. The remodeled hotel will eventually house 40-plus residents who are transitioning from homelessness into more stable housing, says city staff. The city is contracting with San Joaquin County Behavioral Health to manage the facility. Tenants will pay rent, which, planners say, will pay for operating costs.

PET PROBLEM: As the Lodi Access Center nears completion, there remains an unresolved problem with some folks seeking services. Many clients have dogs, but neither the access center nor the Salvation Army next door accepts pets. Understandably, faced with giving up their four-legged companions, most decide against entering a program because of the restriction. This could be about to change. Salvation Army Major Richard Pease says he is exploring the possibility of kenneling a limited number of dogs while their owners are in his shelter or the access center. He says there are a number of hurdles to overcome first, including gaining city approval and “figuring out exactly what we can put on the property,” he says. The idea is still in the “exploratory phase,” says Pease, but doesn’t know when, or if, it will happen. “If I were a betting man, I’d say, hopefully, by Thanksgiving,” says Major Pease.

SHOVEL READY: There is yet no groundbreaking scheduled for the new Salas Park Senior Housing complex on Century Blvd. near Stockton Street. The 110-unit housing project is being developed by Delta Development Communities in partnership with the Housing Authority of San Joaquin County, the City of Lodi, and HUD. It will include two three-story buildings and provide shelter for very low-income seniors aged 55+ with units ranging from 573–700 sq. ft. Veterans will be given preference, according to city officials, who say the Housing Authority is still in the process of applying for tax credits to help fund the project. When completed it will add to the city’s growing number of senior housing units as an anticipated “silver tsunami” of retirees needing affordable housing materializes.

LIFE-SAVING: