Safe Space Chico

09/01/2026

We may not be advancing, but we’re still feeling pretty good about being considered one of Chico’s Best Charitable Causes. Why? Because we get to do this work alongside some pretty incredible organizations.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the North Valley , Butte Humane Society, Chico Housing Action Team, Catalyst Domestic & Sexual Violence Services and True North Housing Alliance have each helped shape what service, advocacy and community care look like in Chico. Some have been doing it for decades. We’re fortunate to work in a community where there are so many shoulders to stand beside, and so many hands doing the work.

Congratulations to all five finalists. Now go vote: https://vote.chicobestof.com/

09/01/2026

Elsewhere in local news: Nearly 1 in 5 West Nile virus cases reported in California this year are in Butte County.

Our friends at North State Public Radio examine why our region has become a hot spot, including the role migratory birds and our rice fields may play.

With 11 confirmed cases and two deaths locally, West Nile is worth taking seriously. Reduce standing water, use insect repellent and take extra precautions around dawn and dusk.

Read or listen to NSPR’s report by clicking the image and link below.

Nearly 1 in 5 West Nile virus cases reported in California this year are in Butte County. Migratory birds and the region’s rice fields may be contributing to the county’s high case count.

09/01/2026

As we reported previously, the health risks from extreme heat can be mitigated through a variety of ways. Mandatory cooling options in housing is one of them.

Chico leaders will discuss whether to set indoor temperature standards for rental units as extreme heat poses growing health risks.

09/01/2026

Grant Vaughn is a familiar face to the Safe Space crew and many of the people we serve. Through their outreach and collaboration, Grant has brought thoughtfulness, insight and a genuine willingness to engage with the realities facing our unhoused neighbors.

We’re grateful for Grant’s supportive words about our work, but even more grateful for the work they’re doing alongside us.

Thanks, Grant, for showing up, speaking up and being part of this community.

08/31/2026

Chico, thank you.

More than 320 people came through our doors this Cooling Season, and we could not have kept them open without the people who gave their time, brought food and supplies, offered us space, donated, and found countless other ways to help along the way.

It was a long, hot summer. We had a lot of help getting through it. We had you, and we are grateful.

08/31/2026

Earlier this month, we created this storyboard for our CUP neighborhood meeting to show what Winter Shelter looks like at Safe Space Chico.

It looks like 3,135 nights of safe refuge, fewer barriers to getting inside when being outside is dangerous, and clear expectations supported by trained staff and a Code of Conduct that helps keep everyone safe.

08/31/2026

Cooling Season may be over, but exposure to dangerous weather doesn’t end with summer.

This PBS SoCal report looks at what extreme weather—including flooding—means for people living outside, and why outreach and access to shelter become especially important when conditions turn dangerous.

As we prepare for winter, it’s a good reminder: weather exposure is a public health issue in every season.

08/31/2026

Low-barrier doesn’t mean no expectations; it means people don’t have to have everything figured out before they can access shelter.

We ask our guests to follow a clear Code of Conduct built around safety and respect: for each other, our staff, our volunteers, and the space we share.

Come as you are. Respect the space. Respect each other.

That’s low-barrier at Safe Space Chico.

08/30/2026

Nearly 300,000 K–12 students in California experienced homelessness last school year, according to a new report from the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. It is the highest number on record.

The takeaway: homelessness often includes children doing homework, parents trying to keep families together, and students walking into classrooms carrying circumstances their classmates may never see.

The latest education news updates from EdSource.

08/30/2026

We’ve been here before: during a previous El Niño, PBS SoCal documented what severe rain meant for people living without shelter along the L.A. River—where a place that offered some protection could become dangerous within minutes.

El Niño doesn’t guarantee what this winter will look like in Chico. It does remind us why preparation matters. For people living outside, severe weather can quickly become a public health emergency.

With homeless funding stalled and the nearest services as far as Skid Row and Glendale, Recycled Resources decided to take the homeless crisis into its own hands.