Shepherd’s Gate
Situation:
Shepherd’s Gate is a non-profit organization that provides safe places where women and their children can discover healing and freedom from life-controlling trauma issues through the power of Jesus Christ. They provide a comprehensive program that addresses the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of women and children suffering from homelessness, addiction and domestic abuse. The 12 -18 month program includes long-term shelter, care and personalized case management for residents.
Task:
Since 1984 Shepherd’s Gate has been serving marginalized women and children with campuses in Livermore and Brentwood. Their programmatic success and proven track record of graduates has bolstered demand to an extent that cannot be effectively served within their current facilities.
Shepherd’s Gate engaged Cerro Vista to assist their leadership team in creating a vision and actionable plan for expansion of their organizational footprint in the east bay. This process would require an assessment of the existing facilities as well as the contextual influences surrounding both the Livermore and Brentwood campuses.
Action:
The first order of business for Cerro Vista was to conduct a Summary Land Use Analysis on both the Livermore and Brentwood campuses. This process involves an in depth study of the current zoning, land uses and residential densities surrounding the subject properties. Site constraints such as easements or other impediments to expansion are also identified. Based on the cumulative findings, Cerro Vista created a comprehensive report addressing current conditions and potential opportunities for expansion of residential and programmatic building on and around the subject properties.
Also addressed in the Land Use Summary Analysis is a recommendation regarding Preferred Land Use Alternatives. After discussing the findings and recommendations with Shepherd’s Gate leadership, Cerro Vista would arrange for initial meeting with the appropriate city staff and policy makers to ascertain the viability of the recommended expansion options.
Result:
Livermore Campus: The existing development envelope at the Livermore campus is pretty much built out. There is the potential for second story additions and reconfigurations of the five (5) transitional housing “cottages” on site. Aside from this, any expansion would involve the 1.3 acre vacant property located across the street located at the rear of the subject property. The zoning of this property and the surrounding context of the neighborhood are potentially conducive to an expansion effort.
Cerro Vista is currently in discussions with the owner of this property to determine if there is a creative way to acquire and develop this site to enhance the footprint of the Livermore campus.
Brentwood Campus: The Shepherd’s Gate campus in Brentwood consists of a 7500 sf residential facility situated on 1.5 acres. On two (2) sides it is immediately adjacent to a park and orchard farmland. This makes it highly conducive to expansion without acquiring additional property. The recommendation made by Cerro Vista was a two (2) phase expansion effort within the development envelope of the current Brentwood property.
Phase One: Approximately 1,100 sf will be added to the first floor of the existing building. It will include a Career Center, two (2) additional offices and an area that will be used for both homework and family reunification events.
Phase Two: An essential component of the Brentwood expansion effort is to replicate the programs and services provided at the larger Livermore campus. Access to transitional housing at the Livermore campus is a key component in the success of the program. This phase will provide for the construction of eight (8) transitional housing units on the subject property.
Cerro Vista was able to reconnect Shepherd’s Gate with HomeAid who had helped build the Livermore campus in the mid-1990’s. HomeAid is an amazing non-profit that mobilizes their extensive membership of homebuilders who give back to their communities by taking on need-based projects where they build at their own cost and encourage their subcontractors and material suppliers to make cost saving donations of time and materials.
HomeAid has graciously agreed to build the Brentwood campus expansion and has identified Shea Homes and Signature Homes as the “builder captains” for this exciting expansion effort.
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