One-Year Navigation Center Pilot

A project of the Tahoe Truckee Homeless Action Coalition

Data Spot Light

Here is a snapshot of community members using the Navigation Center in the first five weeks of operation:

Number of people using the Center:
As of March 31, 33 unique individuals have used the Navigation Center services. This number reflects both people staying overnight and using day services.
Where the community members are coming from:
79% were from Nevada County, 15% from Placer County, and 6% from other regions.
Number of people utilizing the shelter and interim housing beds:
Since opening the center has had a high rate of utilization. Of the 16 available beds at the Center, usage rates has been 91%.

April 15, 2026.

Overview

Location: 12315 Deerfield Drive, Truckee (next to Taco Bell)

For Program Referrals Contact: 530-606-5457

Operator: Volunteers of America – Northern California & Northern Nevada

Opening Date: February 25, 2026

Pilot Duration: One year

Overview: The One-Year Navigation Center Pilot is a project of the Tahoe Truckee Homeless Action Coalition (TTHAC). Staff will be on-site 24/7/365 as a resource for people experiencing homelessness. The Pilot will prioritize serving people already living unsheltered in Truckee or North Tahoe.

16 total beds:

10 Congregate Emergency Shelter beds

Emergency shelter access operates through a referral process. Referrals may be made by calling the program phone (530-606-5457) directly.
Returning guests must check in by 3:00 PM, or bed will be forfeited and reassigned to next eligible guest. Curfew is 9:00 PM.

6 Interim Housing beds

All referrals are submitted at emergency shelter level. During intake guests will be assessed using a Housing Readiness Questionnaire to determine eligibility for an interim housing bed based.
Criteria for Interim Housing include behavioral stability and a commitment to housing readiness activities. Housing readiness includes obtaining identification and essential documents, establishing or verifying income, and actively engaging in a clear pathway toward permanent housing.
Interim Housing beds are designed for short-term stabilization, with stays of up to 90 days and formal reassessments conducted every 30 days to evaluate progress and ongoing eligibility.

Drop-in Day Center services:

Restrooms, meals, hot showers, laundry, mail service, and secure storage
Monday-Friday 12-3 for people not sleeping at the Navigation Center Pilot.
Referral is not needed for Day Center services
People accessing Day Center Services can request a shelter referral from the VOA case manager

For more information about the Navigation Center Pilot, contact Volunteers of America Shelter Manager:

Justin Jones, jjones@voa-ncnn.org, 530-606-5425

Navigation Center Pilot Ribbon Cutting

Photo from the February 13, 2026 ribbon cutting ceremony.

Target opening date of February 25!

Fast Facts

The following project highlights are subject to change and are based on estimates only.

Proposed Location: 12315 Deerfield Drive, Truckee (behind Taco Bell) — centrally located, fenced commercial property, leasing conversations initiated between Nevada County and landlord to lease the property for one year.

Proposed Operator: Volunteers of America Northern California & Northern Nevada (VOA NCNN) pending contracting agreement — a trusted nonprofit serving 3,500 people nightly across the region. Northern Nevada – VOA NCNN

Volunteers of America has operated shelters and Navigation Centers across Northern California and Nevada since 1911, serving 3,500 people nightly.
Comparable sites show strong outcomes—up to 50% of participants move to stable housing and emergency-room use drops dramatically.

Opening Target: Winter 2026

Pilot Duration: One year (2026)

Facility Size: Approximately 3,000 square feet

Goal: Provide a safe, well-managed, 24/7, 365 days a year resource for people experiencing homelessness—reducing public impacts while helping individuals stabilize and move toward permanent housing.

Why Here, Why Now:

Each winter, unsheltered residents in our region face life-threatening conditions. North Tahoe-Truckee region currently has no year-round shelter; emergency options have been temporary and weather-dependent in the past.
Extensive community feedback collected over the past three years supports the Navigation Center model.
The site at 12315 Deerfield Drive is centrally located, close to transportation, food, health care, and jobs. Since 2023, TTHAC partners have been working to identify an appropriate site (over forty properties looked at).

Services:

Provided 365 days a year, 24/7
Capacity to serve up to 25 people at time
16 total beds: 6 individual interim housing cubbies + 10 shelter beds
Day services for people needing case management or hygiene support, not living at the Center
Professional staff on-site (minimum 2 staff per shift)
Restrooms, hot showers, laundry, mail service, and secure storage
Case management helps participants access housing, jobs, health care, and benefits

Lead Agency / Lease Holder: Nevada County is willing to lease the site, allowing the project to proceed under Town of Truckee Development Code §18.02.025, which expedites implementation as a County activity.

Estimated Budget: $1.38 million (Year 1)

Funding Requests in October/November:

Town of Truckee – $360,000
Tahoe Forest Hospital District – $360,000
Nevada County – $360,000
Placer County – $75,000
Community Philanthropy – $230,000

Estimated Timeline Highlights:

Funding secured by December 31, 2025
Lease signed by January 2026
Contract with operator (Volunteers of America) secured by December
Tenant improvements and hiring completed by January/February 2026

Community Benefit:

Replaces the inconsistent, weather-only warming shelter with a professional, stable operation
Reduces emergency room visits and law enforcement calls
Builds trust and provides a pathway to permanent housing