OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) — The city of Oceanside now has the most unsheltered homeless people in North County.
This comes as the city ramps up construction on its first year-round homeless center.
"We believe that it's grown predominately in the last year," said Michael Gossman, Oceanside's Assistant City Manager.
A report by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness shows the number of unsheltered people in Oceanside grew by 31% over the past two years.
"Homelessness is the number one priority for the city," Gossman said.
A former alternative school is being remodeled for the new "Oceanside Navigation Center."
The project, announced last year, was expected to be completed in early 2022. However, Gossman said there have been some delays.
"We ran into some asbestos remediation that we're going to have to do so that takes more time," Gossman said.
Still, internal demolition is nearly complete, and furnishings are arriving.
The transformation will include 50 beds, a cafeteria, an activities room, showers, laundry facilities, and safe storage for belongings.
The person must be referred by the Oceanside Housing Authority, police, or other agencies to be admitted.
"This is a place where we get people in, we sort of do a needs assessment on what they need, and we temporarily house them while we find them a more permanent solution," Gossman said.
The San Diego Rescue Mission will operate the center.
"We're going to build a system, from meeting them through the shower trailer to having the opportunity to stay 30 days in the navigation center to where do you go next," Donnie Dee, President and CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission.
Dee said the facility is a great example of a community coming together to help people stay off the streets.
"I think it has the ability to demonstrate this beautiful partnership of how the public and the private should be working together on behalf of the person experiencing homelessness," Dee said.
The city hopes to open the shelter by the end of 2022.
