After a decade of often acrimonious debate, money issues and political maneuvering, Mental Health America broke ground Friday on a new comprehensive health and service center for the homeless in Long Beach.

David Pilon, president and CEO of MHA, has been there through it all.

“We’ve had our ups and downs, that’s for sure,” Pilon said. “There were moments when I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

The city received pushback when plans were announced to build a mental health center for the homeless, run by MHA, next to the Department of Health and Human Services headquarters at Willow Street and Grand Avenue. That plan, released in 2007, was part of the proposal to turn the Army National Guard center there, Schroeder Hall, into the East Division Police Substation.

A group of residents in the general area mounted a protest, saying they feared homeless people would be wandering their streets, driving property values down. Ultimately, the City Council decided to look for another location.

After years of searching, buildings at 1955 and 1965 Long Beach Blvd. became available in 2013, and the city purchased them for $2.8 million. It then agreed to lease the property to MHA for 10 years, then sell it to the agency for $1. That was enough for the Army, ultimately transferring the deed to Schroeder Hall in October 2014.

After the building purchase, the city agreed to provide about $1 million for tenant improvements; MHA began fundraising, ultimately bringing in about $2 million, Pilon said. But, after demolition began, significant seismic issues and other problems were uncovered. MHA went back to the city, convincing them to add another $2.5 million as well as help finding additional parking.

“There has been a lot of negotiation to make it work,” Pilon said. “But the city has had a sea change in how we are perceived… The attitude now from the City Council is, ‘how can we address the homeless situation?’ It’s 180 degrees different.”

Now, Pilon said, MHA can concentrate on planning for the future instead of fighting for their right to exist.

The agency has operated The Village at 456 Elm St., providing mental health and other services for the homeless, for a number of years. In addition to counseling, job services and legal help, there is a bakery whose cookies have become famous — and gave people experience working.

One thing the Village didn’t provide was housing. Pilon said that would be the case at the service site on Long Beach Boulevard, as well. The center will open at 7 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

Partnering with the Children’s Clinic, the new facility will be able to treat clients with both physical and mental health services, Pilon said. The Children’s Clinic will have a five-room, fully staffed clinic downstairs, near showers, laundry and other services. MHA’s mental health facility will be in the back of the building, behind a 3,000-square-foot restaurant called Third Wave Market. Part of the restaurant’s lease is a condition that at least 20 percent of the workforce come from MHA clients.

Finally, there will be a large conference room that will turn into a community meeting room after the clinic closes. It is a small way to give back to the neighborhood, Pilon said.

In the last few years, MHA has served between 2,500 and 3,000 clients a year. The bakery and deli will remain at 456 Elm, but the rest of the services will move to the new clinic.

Harry Saltzgaver is executive editor of the Grunion Gazette. He can be reached at hsalt@gazettes.com.