Stockton, Caltrans partner to hire homeless for highway cleanup in city
STOCKTON -- The Stockton city council approved the renewal of a contract this week that will help homeless men receive employment in cleaning up highways, freeways and offramps throughout the city.
The "Homeless Employment Litter Program" was given a $363,000 contract which was awarded to Ready to Work San Joaquin in partnership with Caltrans to make cleaning jobs available for homeless men.
Ready to Work is a nonprofit established in 2016 that focuses on reducing the number of homeless people in the county by assisting men who have been in the criminal justice system or have faced homelessness to rebuild their lives.
In 2018, the city council had approved an agreement with the state through Caltrans to reduce the amount of litter on freeways and state highways.
The funding received would allow a reimbursement of $121,000 each year to a local non-profit organization to hire homeless people to provide cleanup and a contract was awarded to Ready to Work later that year.
The renewed contract will begin in September and last through August 2025 with the option of a two-year extension, according to city documents related to Tuesday's council meeting.