A vacant warehouse in Fontana is set to become a 200-bed regional shelter for people experiencing homelessness — designed not as a place to spend a single night, but as a longer-term hub to help residents across western San Bernardino County find their way back into housing.
A regional approach
The facility, planned as the West End Regional Navigation Center, will be operated by San Bernardino County and supported financially by a coalition of Inland Empire cities, ABC7 reported. The county and the city of Fontana describe a roughly even split between shelter beds and recuperative-care beds for people recovering from illness or hospitalization. It is expected to open in 2027.
The multi-city financing model is itself notable. Cities across the region have often struggled, individually, with the cost and politics of siting shelters; pooling resources for a single larger center is an acknowledgment that homelessness crosses municipal lines.
What it will offer
Plans call for far more than a roof and a cot. According to ABC7 and the city, the converted warehouse will include a full kitchen, separate areas for individuals and families, and dedicated space for people working through sobriety or mental-health challenges, alongside case management and help with housing placement. Access will be by referral through a coordinated-entry system rather than walk-up — a model officials say helps connect people to services and manage the facility.
Officials make the case
Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren toured the site and pitched its potential. "Look how big it is," she said, per ABC7. "We're going to fix this up. It's going to be like home." County Supervisor Jesse Armendarez framed the warehouse reuse as a cost saver, saying repurposing an existing building frees up money that "could support services" rather than new construction.
Context and what's next
The Inland Empire has seen its unhoused population grow in recent years, often outpacing available shelter beds, and warehouse-heavy Fontana has ample large buildings that can be repurposed. No organized opposition to the project appeared in available public records or coverage as of this report, though the Herald could not confirm the full roster of participating cities or each city's financial contribution.
Whether the cost-sharing, warehouse-reuse approach can be replicated elsewhere in the region will likely hinge on how the Fontana center performs once it opens its doors.
