The Santa Barbara City Council is moving forward with its goal of obtaining a homeless shelter on the Eastside after the former operator announced it was ceasing its services in August.

The council on Tuesday officially approved an ordinance change that will allow the city to own the former PATH shelter at 816 Cacique St.

The council first discussed the change when it met on Dec. 16 and approved the ordinance change as part of the consent calendar.

The city moved to purchase the shelter after the previous tenants, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), announced that it could no longer afford to run the facility. PATH announced that services would terminate at the end of 2025.

To maintain homeless services on the Eastside, the city moved to purchase the building, buying it for $3.75 million. An additional $300,000 is being set aside for repairs and renovations to the building’s HVAC, plumbing and roof.

The improvements to the structure are being paid for by Measure C funds.

City officials say the purchase would allow the city to continue offering critical services to homeless residents, such as beds, meals, hygiene services and help finding housing.

Under city ordinances that require the property to be owned by a nonprofit organization, the city had to amend its ordinance to allow the purchase. The change to the city amendment was approved by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9.

The city has contracted with Mercy House Living Centers to serve as the interim provider through June. The city plans to start hearing proposals for a permanent operator in the spring.