Short-term shelter opening in San Diego-owned hotel for flood victims
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A short-term shelter for San Diegans whose homes were damaged or destroyed by flash flooding in last week’s storm will be opening up at a hotel recently purchased by the San Diego Housing Commission, city leaders announced on Friday.
The new shelter, located on Midway Drive, will have 50 rooms available to temporarily house families while recovery efforts continue in neighborhoods hardest hit by the 1,000-year flood. Alpha Project will operate the site.
According to SDHC, placements will be decided based on evaluations of housing needs for those at shelter and resource locations in the impacted communities. Seniors, those with disabilities, and families with children will be prioritized for rooms in the hotel.
It is unclear when residents impacted by last week’s flooding will begin moving into the shelter.
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“Our neighbors are struggling to recover from the record-breaking rain and flooding last week that upended their lives,” SDHC CEO Lisa Jones said in a statement on Friday. “Making this site available for a short-term emergency shelter will give these families the shelter and support they need during a difficult time.”
SDHC acquired the hotel last year using funds through California’s “Homekey” program. The city applied for the money in June in order to redevelop it to house affordable rental apartments with on-site supportive services.
According to SDHC, the state Department of Housing and Community Development granted emergency waivers and approvals for the property in the meantime as a short-term emergency storm shelter.
Outside the accommodations on the city property, SDHC officials say they are also operating an emergency hotel placement program “until resources from the County of San Diego are available to provide other options.”
According to the housing agency, a total of 152 households have been assisted with the emergency program as of Friday, including 62 who were placed in hotels across the city.
“Providing shelter and support for our neighbors whose lives were upended by the storm is a top priority,” City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera said in a statement Friday. “These creative options were possible through collaboration between the City, County, the Housing Commission and State of California. The road ahead of us is long, but this quick and meaningful action shows that we can create creative housing solutions when we all work together.”
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