SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - For decades Veterans Village of San Diego has been committed to serving homeless veterans, aiding in transitional housing and rehabilitation.
In recent years, however, they've been struggling to fill vacant beds.
"Over the last several years, we've just seen a change in the environment. There's a lot of resources here in San Diego for homeless veterans. The number of veterans who've wanted to come through our programs has decreased," said Kim Mitchell, President and CEO of Veterans Village.
"Some just aren't ready, as you know there's are a lot of homeless here in San Diego, not only veterans but non-veterans, people are in various stages of where they are in life."
Now the nonprofit hopes to welcome non-veterans into two of their programs: County-funded Drug Medi-Cal and the transitional housing program.
"There is a lot of people that want to get off the street and want to go through a program to get clean and sober, and so if we have beds in this program that can help them do that we want to do that," said Mitchell.
Mitchell says they have full support from the Housing Commission and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
Leaders will ask City Council on Tuesday to approve the request. If approved, the nonprofit could serve non-veterans within weeks.
