PACIFIC BEACH – There’s good news from Shoreline Community Services in Pacific Beach: It’s a go on the homelessness services provider’s Workforce Sleeping Cabin Project serving their Community Care Crew.
Shoreline Community Services operates The Compass Station, a drop-in resource center for unhoused individuals in the central beach area. Shoreline has been working on the sleeping cabins project for over a year and is currently in permitting. As part of the cabin permitting process, a “Notice of Future Decision” has been sent to the nearby community.
“In July 2023, we launched the Community Care Crew, an employment social enterprise that creates pathways out of homelessness through paid employment, structure, and support,” said Caryn Blanton, executive director of Shoreline Community Services.
“It’s workforce housing for six members on our community care crew, people who are cleaning the streets of PB, taking out our trash, graffiti cleanup, pressure washing, light landscaping, and event support — that’s who these are for. You have to be in the program.”
Community Care Crew is employed by Shoreline and contracted by Discover PB, Mission Beach Town Council, local businesses, and faith organizations.
Community Care Crew members are presently sleeping on the streets or in their cars, rising at 6:30 a.m. to do their jobs. They become eligible for transitional housing by meeting clear goals and responsibilities. They also participate in weekly case management, receive career navigation, and follow a progress-based path toward stability.
Of the six cabins, Blanton said: “This is transitional housing, six cabins which will be out along the fence line. This is emergency transitional housing while they’re (occupants) looking for the next thing (upgraded housing).”
These new 64-square-foot living quarters have no indoor plumbing or cooking capability. “It’s a cabin, so there’s a bed, chair, desk, storage, and a little mini fridge, and that’s it,” said Blanton, noting that care crew members will have access to The Compass Station’s restrooms and gym memberships for showers.
She added, “The sleeping cabins are a key next step, providing a safe, private space to rest and reset.”
For added safety and peace of mind, Blanton pointed out that on-site security will be present from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., seven days a week, following Shoreline Community Services’ agreement with Christ Lutheran Church (the property owner), neighboring residents, and local businesses.
Now that summer’s here, Blanton was asked if The Compass Station would be extra busy. She said that providing homelessness services is not seasonal, adding there’s been a consistent trend with those being served.
“Every month it (number served) goes up by about 100 people, that’s the trend we’re seeing,” she said. “We don’t get many families ever. But in the last two weeks, we’ve had two families, one of them with five kids. The other was a family that didn’t speak English, so we got them a translator. It’s heartbreaking.”
“We believe this project demonstrates what’s possible when we pair accountability with compassion — and we’re proud to model a thoughtful, solutions-based approach to homelessness.”
An attitude adjustment on the part of the general public to the plight of the unsheltered might also be necessary, Blanton said. “We’ve lost sight of the common good, what’s good for all of us. The gap between the haves and have-nots is so big right now. There’s no compassion. Our (unsheltered) folks here stand to lose a lot in the next months if Medicaid goes away. Almost all of our people are on food stamps.
“We (Shoreline) just keep showing up every day. That’s what we do,” Blanton said.
