SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Mayor Todd Gloria will present new locations for potential homeless shelters to the City Council on Monday after announcing last week that the proposed 1,000-bed shelter in Middletown is no longer realistic.
Two city-owned locations and one private property will be proposed as long-term shelter options as the city looks to increase capacity in its shelter system, according to a city press release.
“We’ve identified several key sites that can serve as permanent shelters, including two already owned by the City, and I urge the City Council to authorize us to take the next steps in order to help more people off the street,” Mayor Gloria said in the release.
The two city-owned properties are 1222 First Avenue, the City Operations Building that will be vacated this spring, and 820 E Street, the currently vacant former Central Library building.
The City Operations Building has 217,000 square feet over five floors and the Central Library building is roughly 150,000 square feet; the proposed shelter site at Kettner and Vine was a 65,000 square-foot commercial space.
Refurbishment of the two properties into shelter space is estimated by City staff to cost $45.2 million for the City Operations Building and $86.8 million for the former Central Library, according to the release.
City staff also proposed a privately owned, roughly 25,000 square foot mixed use property as another alternative.
During Mayor Gloria’s State of the City address, he urged other cities in the region and San Diego County to “step up” and “do their part” to address homelessness.
The Regional Task Force on Homelessness recently reported more people getting housed than falling into homelessness for the first time in 33 months.
The City says it currently funds 1,630 traditional shelter beds and up to 770 tent spaces at their Safe Sleeping sites. ABC 10News Anchor Jared Aarons reported on the tent sites early last year.
And the City says it plans to nearly double the Safe Parking Program with a new lot on Harbor Drive near the airport.
10News reporter Marie Coronel got to know a family who lived at the Rose Canyon Safe Parking Lot last year. She found that, on average, 67% of people who stayed at that site transitioned into more stable housing.
You can view agendas, submit public comment, and learn how to watch City Council meetings at sandiego.gov/citywide-agendas-minutes.
