Shepherd’s Gate Gets Approval to Expand Brentwood Campus

Last week, the Brentwood City Council approved the expansion of Shepherd’s Gate to allow the non-profit to help more women and children.

With the 4-0 vote, Shepherds Gate, located at 605 Sycamore Avenue, will be able to increase by 15 residents in an existing home through a 2,877 square foot addition which included three dwelling units, a communal pantry, laundry facility and associated site improvements to an exiting residential group home. This would be done through three dwelling units –cottages.

In total, Shepherds Gate will now be able to assist 33 residents.

Plans for Shepherds Gate Brentwood Expansion

According to Shepherd’s Gate, each month they receive about 75-100 intake calls for its Brentwood site located in Contra Costa County. The majority (88%) of women calling will report a history of family violence, and roughly half (56%) will be seeking to escape from a current situation of domestic violence. More than half (56%) will have a dependency on alcohol or drugs. Nearly all will be women with low levels of education and high incidences of traumatic life events.

CEO Carol Patterson shared. “I think everybody knows who Shepherds Gate is in our community. We hare a long-term Christian program that provides healing from trauma to homelessness, to addition to domestic violence to trafficking and several child protective cases.”

Patterson said Shepherds Gate has two campuses, one in Livermore serving 70 women and children and Brentwood.

“Brentwood was a gift from Signature Homes back in 2005,” said Patterson. “This last year, we have reunited 26 children out of foster care and kindship. So in these cottages, the increase of 15, half of those will be children that are reuniting with their moms or there coming right from homelessness and domestic violence. That is why its so important that moms have this extra time to be able to work on their lives and their addiction or domestic violence.”

She continued.

“Yes, we have several intakes every month. Our program is free. Completely free. We don’t charge women at all. We get hundreds of applicants and what we have started this year is an off-site case management so we can help more women that don’t need to live at our campus, but are in the community that needs the resources and case management to overcome their trauma.”

Patterson also said they do not go after government funding and are 85% funded by individuals in the community and foundations, companies and churches are the remaining portion. They have an 83% success rate which is measured by a woman’s sobriety, or by going to college or work, and having a church family.

“It’s a lot to do with the staff that dedicate everyday towards helping these woman navigate and its an amazing team,” stated Patterson. “I just would be grateful if you approve these cottages because the women certainly need this and we would free up another room in the house for another family that needs it in our community.

She added the project was fully funded and does not require any funding from the City of Brentwood as individuals have stepped up to fund the project.

The Council voted 4-0 on all three motions within the request along with Pa’tanisha Pierson recusing herself.

Organizational Background:

Shepherd’s Gate began providing crisis care and shelter for women and children in Livermore, in 1984, out of a small home. Today, we are one of the largest comprehensive programs for homeless and abused women and children in the San Francisco’s Tri-Valley region. Our campus in Livermore has the capacity to serve up to 70 women and children at a time and was made possible by a $3.6 million partnership with HomeAid. This flagship campus includes two residence halls, five independent-living cottages, administrative offices, and an 8,200 square-foot learning facility that houses resident classrooms, children’s care services, resident computer labs, and program offices.

Our Brentwood campus opened in 2006 and is a ten-bedroom and five bath home in a peaceful residential neighborhood. It was made possible through a $2.5 million donation by Signature Properties. Within the home there are additional rooms for the following:

• Large front office to greet women and client, volunteers, and guests
• Nursery to care for newborns and toddlers while their mothers are in class.
• Communal kitchen and refrigerators and dining room for all guest
• Large family room with tv
• Three offices for staff (case managers to meet privately with clients)
• Large classroom for education classes and AA meeting
• One additional bathroom for staff on the main floor
• Large laundry room on second floor
• Security cameras around the exterior of the home

Phase 2 – New addition to the home in 2021 added the following on the main floor:

• Learning and career center to focus on adult education online or job skills training
• After school program room for older children. This room is also used by therapist for children to privately meet.
• Two additional offices for additional case managers to meet privately with women
• Covered patio – allows us to gather outside for BBQs, AA meetings, family reunification, staff meetings, and alumni meetings.

Our mission is to meet the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of women and children suffering from homelessness, addiction, poverty, and domestic violence through a Christian long-term recovery program.

Our services are provided to women and children in crisis, regardless of race, age, religion, creed, national origin, disability, or marital or veteran status. We help single women and mothers of all ages. Our 38 years of experience has given us a deep understand of emergency care. A nightly homeless shelter does little to help achieve the kind of self-sufficiency that has lifelong and generational benefits. Therefore, in addition to providing shelter, Shepherd’s Gate addresses the underlying causes of residents’ desperation through a comprehensive multi-phase approach/curriculum (9-12 months) that includes a residential Road to Freedom Program, an Aftercare Program for alumni, and a Family Reunification Program for non-resident children who are no longer under their mothers’ care.

While women are at Shepherd’s Gate they work on their recovery, relapse prevention plan, debt reduction, legal issues, take parenting classes, focus on their education, mental and physical health, and attend multiple classes to heal from their trauma. Our children have a full program as well for their physical needs, educational, and therapy to recovery from their trauma. This is a very brief description of our services and classes. Also, we focus on community partnerships. We want women to build healthy relationships in the Brentwood community. We also want them to have a heart of gratitude for this program that they have been freely given, so we require before graduation to complete 45 hours of volunteering in the community. That can be at their child’s school, local non-profits, their church, community events, and even at Shepherd’s Gate. Since 1984, we have helped over 14,000 women and children in crisis situations.

For more information on Shepherd’s Gate, click here

Staff Report & Documents:

• 1.CUP23-001 RZ23-001 DR23-001 – Shepherd’s Gate Cottages – Community Development-2024-03.pdf
• 2.Previous actions.pdf
• 3.CC Ordinance, RZ23-001.pdf
• 4.CC Resolution, CUP23-001.pdf
• 5.CC Resolution, DR23-001.pdf
• 6.PC Staff Report – Shepards Gate.pdf
• 7.02_23-01-12 Shepheds Gate Brentwood Project Description.pdf
• 8.Shepherds Gate, Project Plans.pdf