City, county and state officials gathered on Friday for the opening of Oceanside’s first municipal homeless shelter.
The year-round 50-bed homeless shelter will offer a variety of support services and case management, according to city officials.
"Our goal is not just to provide a bed for the night, but to provide our residents with the tools and resources they need to break the cycle of homelessness," Mayor Esther Sanchez said. "By providing a range of services under one roof, we can make a real difference in the lives of Oceansiders who are struggling."
The Oceanside Navigation Center is intended to transition "individuals into a stable and healthy permanent living situation."
The city purchased the property — a former school located at 3131 Oceanside Blvd. — and has invested in major renovations and upgrades, including new windows, a new HVAC system and new roof, as well as a fire sprinkler system, sewer lines, showers, kitchen, furniture, computers, landscaping and ADA improvements. The project was partially funded by a grant of $3.3 million from the county and $2.25 million in federal funding secured by Rep. Mike Levin.
Oceanside entered into a three-year contract with the San Diego Rescue Mission to operate the Navigation Center.
The agreement was for the city to cover the costs of the remodel while the San Diego Rescue Mission takes care of the operating costs.
"Do you know how this place is getting funded? By private donors. We're not taking any money from the city or from the county, from the state, from HUD to operate this place. We’re raising $1.2 million dollars a year to operate this on your behalf," said Donnie Dee, president and CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission.
Dee said the shelter has a low barrier to entry.
"So you can have a pet, you can have a physical disability, you can be inebriated, you can have mental health challenges, so long as you're not a danger to yourself or anybody else and that you can live by the rules that we have, then we have a spot for you," he said.
The Oceanside navigation center will work in conjunction with the San Diego Rescue Mission’s other facilities.
"Let us help you figure out where you go next. It may be downtown. It may be to another facility, but this is the system we're building so we can begin to move people from living on the streets to living again," Dee said.
People will be offered a 30-day stay at the Oceanside navigation center on a referral basis only.
"It is not a walk-in facility, so it is referral only, and generally most of the referrals will come through our own homeless outreach team, which is the HOT team, so most of the referrals will come from that entity," said Jonathan Borrego, the Oceanside city manager.
He said other referrals would come from service partners and the city’s housing department.
The first clients going into Oceanside’s navigation center will be people who previously had hotel vouchers.
The San Diego Rescue Mission will run the shelter for a year before considering expanding it to 100 beds.
The city is still completing ADA requirements before clients can be accepted. The facility will include 24-hour staffing, security and daytime activities.
