As the city scrambles to replace shelter beds, the San Diego Housing Commission on Friday approved 263 new beds in three locations.
That represents more than a third of the 650 beds that soon will be unavailable by year’s end due to planned developments at Golden Hall, Father Joe’s Villages’ Paul Mirabile Center and Rachel’s Promise Shelter, along with the scheduled closure of several temporary shelters.
Following the housing commission’s decision, 170 shelter beds will be available for single adult men, seniors 55 and older and veterans at the Veterans Village of San Diego campus as of Dec. 1. San Diego Rescue Mission will add 37 beds and the Alcohol Use Disorder Shelter will add 56.
The cost of the three contracts is around $1.5 million.
“Adding these new shelter beds is another significant step toward getting people off our streets and on the path to ending their homelessness,” Mayor Todd Gloria said.
The City Council requested a short-term action plan in October from the city’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department and the housing commission to find solutions for the loss of beds.
Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said the commission’s decision offers “a model for us to move forward in a collaborative process and find the most effective ways to shelter and find homes for San Diegans in need.”
Gloria cited a number of moves by the city, including adding 161 homes for those in need at a converted hotel in Mission Valley and 235 tents at Safe Sleeping sites, along with expanding the Safe Parking program. The plans, he said, demonstrate “our city’s comprehensive approach to providing immediate shelter and long-term solutions for those experiencing homelessness.”
The number of homeless in the region increased by around 20% between 2022 and 2023. Volunteers recorded a slight increase of around 4% this year.
