SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – It’s official. A homeless shelter in the Midway District called the Rosecrans Bridge Shelter will be closing this Friday.
“It’s heartbreaking because these people genuinely want help,” Rachel Hayes with Lived Experience Advisers said. Lived Experience Advisers is a local non-profit that is made up of formerly homeless individuals who advocate for those who are currently unhoused.
“I had ran into a bunch of people that were there and they were talking about how much it had changed their lives,” Hayes said.
Someone who tells ABC 10news they’re staying inside the Rosecrans shelter, they’re one of the few people left inside the shelter, saying it's slated to be officially shut down at the end of August.
The person told in part, “We were told by the San Diego Housing Commissioners people, we were able to stay until July 31st, and yet we are being told by Alpha staff members that we are to be out this Friday, the 25th. We are planning to not leave and will find out how they plan on removing us. They intend to kick us out when we were told we could stay.”
So ABC 10News reached out to Alpha Project, which operated the site, and the San Diego Housing Commission about these people’s concerns.
The Housing Commission told us the following:
“During the House Meeting for shelter residents conducted on June 25, residents were told that the shelter would close no later than July 31, but that it could be sooner, depending on client census and transfer activities. Based on client transition activities and the remaining census, the decision was made to conclude operations on Friday, July 25. Last week, residents were informed of the July 25 date to conclude shelter operations.
After the site stops serving clients on July 25, additional work will continue to decommission the shelter site. This work will conclude no later than August 31.
All shelter residents previously have been offered alternative shelter options. Beds at other shelters continue to be held to accommodate the remaining residents at the Rosecrans shelter, and staff will continue to connect with the remaining shelter residents daily to assist them to transfer to a different shelter. However, some shelter residents may choose not to utilize one of the alternative shelter options available to them. As with any program ramp-down, we make a concerted effort to honor client choice. In some cases, this means individuals decide to exit the program even though resources are offered to relocate to another shelter program.”
The Housing Commission told six people remain at Rosecrans as of July 23rd.
As we reported, the City of San Diego and the Housing Commission paused intake at nine other homeless shelters to provide alternative shelter options for those at Rosecrans in late May. That pause was lifted in late June.
Hayes said the Rosecrans shelter did provide the specific needs for those with particular issues, and were looking for help getting out of homelessness.
“What are you going to do with these people that you can't put them in a regular shelter because they're convoluted with all the stuff they're trying to get away from. And get better from, you know, they have to have a good foundation,” Hayes said. “If they're saying no to one shelter, then why are they saying no to it, and get down to the basis of, OK, what will work for you? And that's where you put the person.”
A City of San Diego spokesperson also sent ABC 10News the following statement, “The City and Housing Commission made a commitment to offer replacement sheltering options to every individual at the Rosecrans facility — that promise was kept and the vast majority of clients are continuing to receive services elsewhere. Our partners continue to engage with the handful of individuals who have not chosen to transfer to a new program.”
