Restoration For Life Ministries in Stockton says a homeless encampment just beyond its property line has left the church with a financial and safety mess, with leaders estimating more than $500,000 in damage and theft. One building is now out of commission after an electrical box was forced open and its components burned. Staff say a string of break-ins, torn-out fencing and even drained fire hydrants has created what they call a public-safety threat and disrupted programs serving children and low-income neighbors. After more than a decade of asking the city for help, church leaders say they are done waiting.
Church leaders lay out the damage and safety hazards
Pastors and board members told reporters the mounting losses now total an estimated more than $500,000, including stolen equipment and repairs. They say a room used for children’s programs has been rendered unusable after someone broke into an electrical box and burned the components inside. According to church officials, fencing along the slough behind the property has been ripped out or pulled down, and several nearby fire hydrants were drained, raising fears about what would happen if firefighters needed water in an emergency. The church’s account was described to reporters by CBS Sacramento.
City schedules cleanup; officials call for longer-term fixes
City officials say a cleanup tied to the encampment is in the works, but insist any response has to involve coordination between city, county and state agencies instead of a single sweep that simply pushes people elsewhere. Councilmember Brando Villapudua toured the site this week, and city staff told local media they were targeting early May for a cleanup date while also assessing services and outreach for people living in the encampment. The timeline and local officials’ comments were reported by FOX40.
Safety worries sharpen calls for long-term solutions
Pastor Barbara Bridges told reporters the congregation has been contacting the city “over the last 12 years” and is frustrated by what she described as promises that have not led to lasting change. Church leaders stress they want people in the encampment to be connected with housing and services, not just pushed from one block to another, while also insisting on safer conditions for the church’s facilities and programs. Their comments, along with the church’s description of lost programs and repair costs, were documented in reporting by CBS Sacramento.
What the church is doing now
Despite the damage, Restoration For Life Ministries says it will keep its food distribution and other outreach going from its East Anderson Street headquarters while it works on repairs and explores added security. The church’s website lists a food pantry, children’s ministries and other community programs that leaders say they intend to keep operating as they continue pressing for a coordinated response from the city. For more on the church’s programs, see Restoration For Life Ministries.
