SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Golden Hall Homeless Shelter in downtown San Diego is about to close; this comes at a time when leaders say homelessness is at an all-time high.
The city will have to find new homes for hundreds living inside Golden Hall so that they don’t end up back on the street. It’s a daunting task considering this is the largest homeless shelter in San Diego County. It has 36% of the City’s available beds.
“If I didn’t have this shelter then I would be in the streets and I wouldn’t be able to go to work.” said Marvin Martin, a Golden Hall resident.
More than 500 people live inside. Martin came here from Colombia and says he’s concerned about where to go.
“If I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be nowhere," Martin said. "There’s a lot of people here who are the same.”
Others, like Treondous Jackson, are excited about the change. Jackson says he’s taking this as an opportunity to move near San Diego’s Job Corps Center and get a certificate.
“I think it’s time we all get back on our feet again,” Jackson said.
Golden Hall is owned by the City. The shelter is run by Father Joe’s Villages and has been operating under a temporary permit for around four years.
“It was never meant to be that, to serve as a shelter," said Deacon Jim Vargas, the President and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. "The infrastructure inside plumbing and otherwise is not made to sustain that long-term.”
The City says there’s no hard move-out date just yet. Residents will stay in Golden Hall until they find suitable alternatives, but Vargas says there aren't many options.
“I’m concerned at the sheer numbers of people that are falling onto the streets," Vargas said. "We need more shelter beds.”
Vargas says families will transition out of the shelter in a couple of months and will be sent to a motel in Barrio Logan. The plan is still unclear for single men and transitional-age youth inside.
