San Diego is stopping new intakes at its homeless shelter in Golden Hall as it prepares to transition people staying there to other shelters by the end of the year.
The Golden Hall Shelter is operated by Father Joe’s Villages under a contract with the San Diego Housing Commission and is set to close before the year is out due to winter storm damage.
The facility was first approved as a temporary shelter in 2019 by the San Diego City Council. The 60-year old building was recently damaged in this winter’s heavy rain, and the fire marshal has sped up the facility’s timeline.
According to a report issued last year by San Diego’s Independent Budget Analyst, it would cost at least $9.3 million in improvements to operate Golden Hall as a permanent shelter.
“Given future redevelopment plans for the Civic Core site, such an investment has been deemed unwise,” a city statement reads.
The several blocks around the shelter, which include Civic Theatre and the City Administration Building, are the subject of a proposed redesign. Mayor Todd Gloria has been attempting to find a developer to take on the ambitious project — which also includes the blighted 101 Ash Street building — for several years.
According to the city, residents at Golden Hall who have not yet been connected with long-term housing arrangements will be relocated to existing or new city-funded facilities by the end of the year. The temporary shelter currently has a capacity of 264 beds.
Intakes continue at all 17 other city-funded shelters and its two Safe Sleeping and four Safe Parking sites.
Gloria has proposed expanding the city’s shelter capacity by 1,000 beds and more than 200 Safe Parking stalls for households living in their cars.