Border Patrol holding facilities aren’t the only overcrowded spaces in which migrants find themselves. Non-government organizations helping those seeking asylum are also over capacity.
One Lemon Grove family is helping to relieve some of the pressure.
Safe Harbors program manager Alberto Melchor is kicking the tires on a new Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU
“This place is amazing,” Melcher said.
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
He’s not making owners Jeanne and John an offer, but they're making him one.
“To me, it is just something that I really want to make a difference in the world in this kinda small way,” Jeanne said.
The couple is offering up its newly constructed ADU, or "granny flat," to migrants who recently crossed over and need someplace to stay temporarily.
Related Stories
“I had a much better life because of people caring for me, so I want to pay it forward to others,” John said.
Through no fault of his own, John found himself homeless as a teenager. He got help from his youth minister.
“When I was out on the street, I was feeling overwhelmed like I was frantically trying to figure out where I was going to stay tonight," John said.
Safe Harbors is an arm of the International Rescue Committee that, since 2015, has helped house asylum seekers in San Diego. They rely on a network of generous people that open their homes, or in this case an ADU, to those in need.
The space is a 500-square-foot, one-bedroom flat with a walk-in closet. Its lone bathroom has a three-piece sink, toilet and tub.
There are luxury vinyl floors, quartz countertops, shaker cabinets and drawers that are slow-close. Appliances are included.
Melcher said Safe Harbors usually houses 125 people but the organization is already overcrowded with more expected. He is asking the public for help.
“It can be very challenging but also very rewarding,” Melcher said.
John and Jeanne are taking on renters in a month. They felt no reason for this finished home to go empty until then.
Scenes played out at the San Ysidro Border for two weeks are unsettling.
“It would be great for a family to have a place where they could just land and feel safe," Jeanne said.
Besides the structural tests, volunteers wishing to donate space must pass a background check. The IRC and Safe Harbors provide the support, while donors can get a tax break and a feeling better than beating the IRS.
“By having a safe place where you know the people around you care about you your sense of welcome. It just helps you to show up for life,” John said.
John and Jeanne are hoping to host a family of four. The unit is available as early as next week.
