Up to $500k in state funding going to Medford Navigation Center

MEDFORD, Ore. —Thursday night the city of Medford approved accepting a $1 million grant in state funding, to combat housing and homelessness.

The city says the money will help support programs or services that address housing insecurity, lack of affordable housing, or homelessness. Friday we’re learning the council also approved the spending of up to $500,000 of that, on the navigation center.

It’s located at 685 Market Street in Medford and has most recently served as a severe weather shelter. The city says it plans to build a commercial kitchen at the navigation center.

“In order to have a sustainable, efficient, cost-effective program, they need this commercial kitchen to be able to provide food to those people that they are serving,” said Madding.

Madding says until July of this year, the Market Street site will serve as a severe weather shelter.

After that, the Kelly Shelter will move to the navigation center site.