The Journey Home property at 777 North Parkway Drive in Fresno will transition from an emergency shelter to a recuperative care program under a new partnership between Fresno Housing and RH Community Builders. Image via Fresno Housing

Fresno Housing is evolving the use of the Journey Home property, which was used as an emergency shelter for years before closing at the end of 2025. 

The agency announced on March 9 that it has entered into a master lease agreement with RH Community Builders (RHCB), a Central Valley-based organization with experience in affordable housing and supportive services. 

Under the agreement, Fresno Housing will remain as the property owner, while RCHB will serve as the master tenant and independently manage a recuperative care program at the site. 

According to the Fresno Housing website, Journey Home is an 80-unit property at 777 North Parkway Drive, near the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. It was formerly known as the Welcome Inn.

The program, which is funded through local Managed Care Plans, provides temporary housing and support for individuals recovering from medical care who have experienced homelessness. 

“This work is about more than buildings,” said Tyrone Roderick Williams, CEO of Fresno Housing. “Our responsibility is to ensure properties like this continue serving the community in ways that create stability, dignity, and opportunity for those who need it most.”

Katie Wilbur, the executive director of RH Community Builders, said the organization is honored to continue serving individuals in need. Referrals can be made through hospitals and others looking for services can visit the RHCB website. 

Williams described the transition as an evolution, rather than the end of an era.

Fresno Housing and RHCB have a history of working together, which made the partnership a natural fit. The arrangement of Fresno Housing becoming property owner allows Fresno Housing to focus on broader development efforts while making sure the Journey Home property continues to serve vulnerable populations.

“We found them to be a very dependable partner and a committed partner to the work that we both are engaged in,” Williams said. “It just happened that just as the time we were closing the facilities as a shelter, they were looking for a facility to continue their work, and it was just a great match, a great partner and perfect timing.”