A “NAVIGATION CENTER” for the homeless is being planned for Huntington Beach, with a fall 2019 opening foreseen (Shutterstock).

A new homeless shelter for Huntington Beach is being proposed that will seek to comply with federal court orders as well as reduce the number of unsheltered people living on the streets in Surf City.

Representatives of the city will appear in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday morning to report how it will comply with a court ruling – Martin et al vs.City of Boise – that overturns a city ordinance that makes it illegal to sleep in public places, if there are no alternatives available.

That appearance will follow Monday night’s City Council meeting at which the council will take up a proposal to establish a 50-bed “navigation center” in an industrial zone at 5770 Research Drive.

The proposed center is planned to be open for business by fall of 2019. It will accommodate men, women and couples and will have an approval process for potential users including no “walk-ins,” or “walking out,” no registered sex offenders, no persons with outstanding felony warrants and a maximum stay of 90 days, subject to extension if the resident is in the process of securing housing.

Clients at the center will have access to on-site health care, counseling, job training and more. They will be driven to and from the center, so there shouldn’t people homeless people walking in the vicinity of the site.

For more on this go to: www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/homelessness.