SOUL HOUSING PARTNERS WITH BLACKSTONE MERCHANTS TO BRING SAFETY AND CARE TO BLACKSTONE CORRIDOR

Blackstone Community Housing partners with Blackstone Merchants Association while providing safe & secure recuperative care for Fresnans facing homelessness

FRESNO, CA, UNITED STATES, August 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Blackstone Community Housing (BCH), a leading provider of high-quality recuperative care in Fresno, has joined forces with the Blackstone Merchants Association (BMA) and community advocates to bring more accountability and safety to recuperative care settings throughout the region. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to providing safe and secure solutions for individuals in need, while strengthening the vitality of the Blackstone corridor.

Recuperative care facilities provide temporary, clinically guided housing for people discharged from hospitals. BCH is managed by Soul Housing, the largest provider of recuperative care services in California. Since its opening in May, BCH has applied Soul Housing’s expertise to establish a secure, supportive environment for recovery.

“We’re all Californians, coming together over our shared concern for the well-being of neighbors in need and the communities they live in,” said Casey Reinholtz, CEO of Soul Housing. “I lived in Fresno in my youth, and I’m grateful to give something back to this community. That’s why we’re proud to stand with the Blackstone Merchants, supporting local businesses and their customers’ safety while also caring for Fresno’s most at-risk residents.”

Local leaders support BCH’s model of serving as a responsible neighbor, which includes embracing the local Good Neighborhood Policy and engaging directly with merchants to ensure concerns are addressed and the area benefits.

“Soul Housing has been working with the Blackstone Merchants Association and has agreed to our Good Neighborhood Policy,” said A.J. Rassamni, president of the Blackstone Merchants Association. “They actively patrol a four-block radius to ensure their clients are not trespassing on private property.”

Since opening in May, Soul Housing and BCH have also already implemented the following:

- Integrated support services: With on-site care advocates, housing navigators, and enhanced care management (ECM), participants receive wraparound services that stabilize health while preparing them for longer-term housing solutions.

- Community programming: The Fresno site provides healthy engagement through structured activities such as team sports, film screenings, and inclusive cultural and spiritual gatherings. These programs build connection, promote well-being, and create a positive community atmosphere.

- Medical relief for local hospitals: By providing ongoing care and case management, Blackstone helps alleviate the burden on local hospitals, reduce repeat emergency department visits, and support patient recovery outside crowded medical facilities.

- Improved neighborhood safety: Daily vehicle patrols within a four-block radius and close collaboration with the Fresno Police Department, parole, and probation boards have helped reduce crime, prostitution, and loitering around the facility.

- Beautification and upkeep: The exterior streets near Griffith Street and Blackstone Avenue are kept clean of trash and drug paraphernalia, while landscaping upgrades have improved the appearance of the block. Local businesses have noted visible improvements.

- Facility upgrades: BCH continues to work with the city to ensure the building meets fire and life safety codes, creating a safe, well-managed environment for participants and neighbors alike.

By tailoring its proven model to the needs of California’s heartland, Blackstone Community Housing demonstrates how recuperative care can simultaneously improve public health outcomes, reduce hospital strain, and strengthen neighborhood stability.

That mission is deeply personal for Reinholtz, who draws on his past lived experience as an injured Marine veteran navigating homelessness and disability in a shelter.

“As someone who has experienced life in a shelter, I know how critical it is to have a safe place and people who care,” Reinholtz said. “It’s an honor now to serve Fresnans facing those same challenges, and to help build pathways toward stability and dignity.”


About Blackstone Community Housing
Blackstone Community Housing serves Fresno by providing recuperative care to individuals in need. Since its establishment in 2025, BCH has created safe, clinically guided environments in partnership with hospitals, local businesses, and the Fresno Police Department to strengthen community stability and well-being. BCH is managed by Soul Housing, which is the largest provider of recuperative care in California.

About Soul Housing
Founded in 2016, Soul Housing is California’s largest provider of recuperative care for people experiencing homelessness, operating 16 facilities statewide with approximately 1,500 active beds. The organization provides short-term, medically supported housing for individuals transitioning from hospitalization or unsheltered conditions. With 24/7 clinical staffing, behavioral health services, and a proven care advocacy model, Soul Housing specializes in stabilizing high-acuity participants who do not require hospitalization but need more than shelter. Its recovery-centered environments emphasize structure, safety, and human dignity by meeting people where they are while helping them move forward.

SOUL HOUSING COMMUNICATIONS
SOUL HOUSING COMMUNICATIONS
PRESS@SOULHOUSING.ORG

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