A Google Maps satellite view of the Elkhorn Correctional Facility south of Fresno.

On Thursday Fresno County officials shut down talk of using the former Elkhorn Correctional Facility near Caruthers as a shelter for the unhoused.

A statement from Fresno County Administrative Officer Paul Nerland said in December 2022 the Fresno County Board of Supervisors authorized the Department of Public Works and Planning to proceed with preliminary design to transition the former youth boot camp into a multipurpose training facility for law enforcement.

The press announcement comes the same day that nonprofit news organization Fresnoland reported that City of Fresno officials would bring forward a proposal to acquire the facility as both city and county move forward with plans to ban homeless encampments on public property.

“At the time of this media release, the County is unaware of any contact from the City regarding this matter; however, the County is willing to discuss with the City any viable city or county-owned sites that best meet the needs of the unhoused population,” according to the county news release.

Fresnoland reported that Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias said the proposal, set to be discussed in closed session at Thursday’s regular council meeting, would help free up Fresno County jail resources in face of an anticipated influx of bookings related to the camping bans set to take effect next month pending expected final votes.

“I’m realistic that the county might tell us to go take a hike, right?” Arias told Fresnoland. “OK, if the county tells us to take a hike, in November, we have an election. We might have two new supervisors, and those two new supervisors can probably have a different perspective.”

Fresno homeless advocate Dez Martinez told Fresnoland that the correctional facility is not the answer to homelessness, considering that the facility is about 15 miles south of Fresno near the community of Caruthers.

The distance was not lost of county officials, who also added that no city bus routes travel to the Elkhorn facility, nor are there behavioral health, medical or social services available nearbt.

The facility, which has capacity for about 200 beds, was previously used as a boot camp for juvenile offenders. It closed in 2009 with a $8.5-million operating deficit due to state budget cuts, reported ABC30.