The County of San Diego celebrated a first-of-its-kind workforce sleeping cabin site Tuesday in Pacific Beach. Compass Commons is a tiny home community operated by Shoreline Community Services to provide safe, climate-controlled housing for people working their way out of homelessness.
Compass Commons features six 64-square-foot sleeping cabins for Shoreline’s Community Care Crew, a workforce hired by local businesses, churches and neighborhood organizations for street cleaning, power washing, custodial work, graffiti removal, landscaping and event support.
The cabins are located in the parking lot of Christ Lutheran Church and include locking doors, electricity, climate control and safety features. Participants have 24-hour access to on-site restrooms, gym memberships for daily showers and meals provided by faith-based partners.
“There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution to homelessness and these sleeping cabins provide one more housing option we haven’t had before,” said County Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Health and Human Services, Elizabeth Hernández, PhD. “With support provided by Shoreline Community Services, the cabins will help stabilize and connect program participants to permanent housing, employment and supportive services.”
Shoreline Community Services is the first organization to turn the County of San Diego’s Building Partnerships sleeping cabin program into an operating workforce housing model. Through the program, the County awarded Shoreline about $95,000 for the purchase, delivery and assembly of the six ADA-compliant Pallet Shelter homes.
The County’s Building Partnerships initiative, approved in 2022, gives trusted local groups a faster, lower-cost tool to expand emergency and transitional housing options. It is part of the County’s Framework for Ending Homelessness, which focuses on prevention, diversion services, emergency housing and permanent housing.
Compass Commons is designed to connect work, wages, services and safe shelter. The program offers a path forward for residents rebuilding their lives in one of San Diego’s highest cost coastal communities, strengthening local homelessness response efforts through practical, community-based partnerships.
