A new shelter for women and children experiencing homeless was unanimously approved by the San Diego Housing Commission Friday but must pass another hurdle.
The shelter, which would be located at 733 Eighth Avenue downtown, would have 210 beds with 109 designated for single women including seniors, and 101 would be designated for women with children.
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WATCH HEREOf those beds, 40 would be replacements for the existing beds at Rachel’s Promise, which is set to close in June due to redevelopment.
The proposed shelter, tentatively named Rachel’s Promise Center for Women and Children, would also provide meals and wrap-around services like therapy, life skills classes and assistance applying for public benefits.
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The city will pay for the beds, but the housing commission will contract with Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego to operate the shelter.
The program will cost the city around $1.6 million, including start-up costs and administrative expenses, in the first four months. After that, the annual cost is estimated to be around $5.3 million per year.
SDHC President and CEO Lisa Jones called it the “gold standard.”
“I'm thrilled that the city has been so supportive of it and that there is an ability to take funding that, you know, we lost beds, and turn it around to something that is successful and that will uniquely meet needs of women who are not getting met today," Jones said.
By SDHC's data, the percentage of women and girls experiencing homelessness in programs funded by the city and/or SDHC has risen from 29.1% in 2020 to more than 42% in 2024.
