City's Winter Homeless Shelter Program to Begin
First of Three Sites Opens Monday, December 15; Others Open Friday, December 19

SAN DIEGO - The City of San Diego will begin the operation of the 2003-2004 Winter Homeless Shelter Program with the opening of the first of three shelter sites at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 15 for single adults. The emergency overnight shelter for families and the 24-hour program for veterans will open Friday, December 19. All three program sites will remain open until mid-March to provide much-needed temporary housing for San Diego's homeless population.

The 2003-2004 Winter Homeless Shelter Program marks the 17th consecutive year the City of San Diego has assisted the homeless during the coldest months of winter. The programs will provide meals, shelter and social services, including medical and mental health attention, to 405 homeless San Diegans each night.

The shelters are located at three sites, each with its own social service operator. The single adult program will provide 200 beds nightly at 1535 Newton Avenue in Downtown's East Village beginning 8 a.m. on Monday, December 15 and closing on Monday, March 15, 2004. This site will be operated by the Alpha Project. One-hundred-fifty (150) veterans will be served each night at 2801½ Sports Arena Boulevard in the Midway/Sports Arena area beginning 11 a.m. Friday, December 19 and closing Wednesday, March 17, 2004. The Vietnam Veterans of San Diego will operate this program. Fifty-five (55) women and children will be provided safety and shelter at the seasonal family emergency overnight shelter at 501 Fir Street beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday, December 19 and closing Wednesday, March 17, 2004. Horizon Park Chapel will operate this program.

"The most challenging service to provide this year was temporary shelter for families, and thankfully, our partners at Horizon Park Chapel came forward," said Kimberly Pearson-Brown, homeless services coordinator for the City of San Diego. "Additionally, we are pleased that other cities in the region will now be offering winter shelter assistance to San Diego County's homeless population."

The City of San Diego, the County's Health and Human Services Agency and a number of other nonprofit agencies will provide more than 1,600 hours of supportive services, including medical and mental health care, employment and housing fairs, and substance abuse recovery programs. The $497,000 budget for the 2003-2004 Winter Homeless Shelter Program is comprised of funding from the City of San Diego, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the state of California and the San Diego Housing Commission.

The Cortez Hill Family Center, the City's first year-round transitional housing facility for homeless families, evolved from the Winter Homeless Shelter Program and continues to provide shelter to 150 homeless family members. Developed by the City of San Diego and operated by the YWCA, the Cortez Hill Family Center provides a full range of services, including case management, job training and placement assistance, counseling and healthcare, as well as offering homeless families temporary housing to provide an opportunity for them to reestablish greater self-sufficiency. The Center serves homeless families, usually consisting of women and children, in 47 rooms and has been operating at capacity since opening in December 2002.

To find out how to make contributions or volunteer to help the homeless in San Diego, visit http://www.sandiego.gov/homeless-services/providers.shtml for a list of homeless service providers in the area. For additional information on City of San Diego's Homeless Services Program, visit the City's web site at www.sandiego.gov or contact the Community and Economic Development Department at (619) 236-5990.

For more information on winter shelter assistance throughout the San Diego region, contact INFO LINE. This County-wide referral service is open 7 days per week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Holidays. Clients can reach INFO LINE by calling:

Greater San Diego Area: (619) 230-0997
North County Coastal: (760) 943-0997
North County Inland: (760) 740-0997
Outlying Areas Only: (800) 227-0997
TTY Service: (858) 300-1311

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With an emphasis on the City's urban core neighborhoods and low- and moderate-income residents, the Community and Economic Development Department strives to improve the quality of life and ensure a healthy economy in San Diego through job development, business development, neighborhood revitalization, public improvements, redevelopment, social services, and revenue enhancement.