National City’s Planning Commission granted a conditional use permit to the San Diego Rescue Mission on Nov.15 to develop on a 7.65-acre property at 2400 Euclid Ave. bordering Lincoln Acres. The permit was approved by all members of the Planning Commission except Vice Chair Ricardo Sanchez to replace a property once used by the South Bay Community Church.
On Nov.9, the Chula Vista City council approved a product and service agreement with Pallet SPC, a company who aims to end unsheltered homelessness through the construction of pallet shelters, to develop the South Bay’s first Emergency Shelter Units on 205 27th Street which is slated for use in 2022.
According to National City Principal Planner Martin Reeder, San Diego Rescue Mission's plan intends to hold a 160 bed transitional housing facility in the main sanctuary building with eight additional beds and three private rooms for families established in the watchman’s residence. San Diego Rescue Mission models this facility after the one they currently maintain in San Diego at 120 Elm Street according to Chief Executive Officer Donnie Dee.
“Contributing factors to lack of affordable housing is the increase of the population currently below the poverty level or approaching that level, reductions in public subsidies for homeless outreach as well as an increase in untreated mental illness in the area,” Reeder said.
The only other homeless shelter in the South Bay is in Chula Vista, whose approved purchase agreement acquired 63 family units of 100 square feet that can fit four beds. The plan also includes spaces of 64 square feet fitting up to two beds, two multipurpose rooms of approximately 400 square feet with plans to utilize one as for activities such as meal distribution and meetings.
Concerns surrounding exposing neighborhood children to unknown dangers were voiced during the public hearing, as the Transitional Housing Facility would be directly within school routes of children attending National School District Preschool and Lincoln Acres Elementary School.
In addressing concerns from residents, Dee said the nearby schools would prevent the housing of sex offenders at the shelter. California Supreme Court found proposition 83 prohibits registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school. Such occurrence would be considered unconstitutional for the potential limitation of access to drug and alcohol dependency programs, counselling and other medical treatment. The site would come with a 24-hour surveillance system, but Planning Commission Chair Maria Dela Paz insisted the site be monitored 24 hours a day by an in-person security guard.
Public health concerns such as hepatitis, shigellosis and COVID-19 in public congregate settings were addressed by residents. As of Nov.19, there are a total of 38 confirmed and three probable Shigella cases of people experiencing homelessness.The city of San Diego launched a new “sidewalk reset” pilot program that allows for a deeper cleaning of sidewalks to remove build up and make regular sanitization efforts more effective. The process is being implemented in several areas including Downtown, Beach Areas and South Bay, with others being evaluated.
National City Police Department was unable to send a representative at the meeting to provide input.
