GARDEN GROVE City Council at groundbreaking for Navigation Center (OC Tribune photo).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

No actual ground was broken at Tuesday’s groundbreaking event  for the Navigation Center in Garden Grove but it was nevertheless a landmark in efforts to cope with the homelessness problem.

The Central Cities Navigation Center, which will serve not only Garden Grove but also Fountain Valley and Westminster, is located on West Street in an industrial area in the southeast of the city.

Officials from all three cities and from the County of Orange were present at Tuesday’s event.

“Today marks a new beginning nearly four years in the making,” said Garden Grove City Manager Lisa Kim, “which would not have been possible without the incredible partnerships of the tri-cities that were formed.”

The 85-bed center will provide more than just shelter. It’s a “wraparound facility” that will offer assistance in employment,  mental health and dealing with substance abuse. There will be “dormitories” for males and females, some rooms for couples and even a pet facility.

Providing shelter for the homeless allows cities to enforce anti-camping ordinances.