Our History

Our roots at True North Housing Alliance go back decades, when a small group of Chicoans met in 1998 to brainstorm solutions to provide shelter to our community’s most vulnerable.

That same year, the Chico Community Shelter Partnership was formed, and that group of volunteers launched a nomadic, seasonal shelter. It was the largest provider of emergency shelter and related services in the area.

Then, the partnership set its sights on building a permanent location. In 2003, the year-round Torres Community Shelter was completed. It was named after Tim Torres, CCSP’s founding director. Tim was a passionate advocate for homeless individuals, as he had once experienced homelessness and addiction. He was involved every step of the way in CCSP’s efforts until he passed away in 2001 from a brain tumor.

Since that backyard brainstorming session more than 20 years ago, the Torres Shelter has provided shelter to more than 11,000 people and has served over 400,000 meals. Over the decades, our organization continued to grow to meet the need of Butte County residents, providing tailored programs and services including Street Outreach, Bridge Housing for families and single men, Rapid Rehousing, Rapid Rehousing for Chico State students, and Permanent Housing.

In 2019, our organization was reborn as the True North Housing Alliance to fully capture the depth and breadth of services we provide as a full-spectrum continuum of care provider. We have developed a collaborative, results-driven, and solutions-based pathway out of homelessness.

In 2021, True North began expanding and remodeling our shelter to better serve all individuals who walk through our doors. We added more beds, allowing us to serve 177 individuals experiencing homelessness! We tore down walls and created a welcoming lobby and outdoor courtyard. We made upgrades to improve safety and privacy. We created a gender-neutral dormitory space, and improved accessibility for individuals and seniors with disabilities, an overwhelming majority of our shelter population.

Special thanks to our co-founders Colleen Jarvis, Mary Flynn, Andy Holcombe, Lynn Wilson, Howard and Diane Slater, and former Torres Shelter Directors Tami Ritter and Tim Torres. Thank you for making this possible!

Today, and as always, we move people forward, out of homelessness, with compassion, dignity and accountability.

*From Andy’s Guest comment “Keep the faith, build the shelter,” published in the Chico News & Review.

Our Future

In 2025, we are building the Howard Slater Navigation Center, which will help break the cycle of homelessness in our community by providing services to an estimated 90% of Butte County's unhoused population!

The Howard Slater Navigation Center will offer immediate access to a variety of local service providers in one physical location, a cost-effective solution that will reduce duplication of services. This shortens the time individuals spend homeless, moving them into permanent housing and off of the streets faster.

This will be the only center of its kind in Butte County serving every demographic in need. 

We have almost met our fundraising goal for the Navigation Center. Your support will help us change lives and empower our community to respond proactively, effectively and collaboratively to the homeless crisis.