Unlike traditional walk-in shelters, the Village will only accept referrals from the city's Homeless Outreach Team. The shelter's mission is to help individuals find work and rental assistance for long-term housing within three months. The shelter will begin with 65 beds, but the city may increase the number if necessary.
City Net, which the city hired last year to run its year-round shelter, will provide case managers to link Village residents to resources for health care, mental health, and drug and alcohol treatment. Each unit at the shelter has two beds, windows, heat and air conditioning, and a lockable door. The site also provides security, trailers for showers, restrooms, and laundry, and units for meals and case management.
Chula Vista invested about $5 million in local, state, and federal dollars for the project. The total cost for the units, built by Pallet Shelter, was $700,000. The city aims to help homeless people secure a job and rental assistance for long-term housing within three months of being in the shelter.
The shelter will start with 65 beds, and the city could double the amount as each of the 64-square-foot units comes with two beds.
The project is one of many collective efforts being made by city leaders in the South County to address the issue of homelessness in the region.
The lack of available shelter options has been a major challenge in providing resources to people on the streets of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and National City.
The Village is a significant step forward in changing that, providing a safe and dignified space for people experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet.
