Housing

County Partners with City to Open New Homeless Shelter at Old Central Library

County and City leaders pose at new downtown homeless shelter for women
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Over two dozen women experiencing homelessness downtown have a new option for a warm, safe place to sleep. A homeless shelter at the old Central Library on E Street is now open and has 36 beds available overnight to women exclusively.

The shelter will be operated by NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and provide case management, access to social services and housing support. It will be open through the night for any female who shows up at the door requesting a bed, regardless of the hour.

The County provided $322,000 in funding for the shelter as part of a $10 million dollar grant program to support shelter opportunities for the unhoused throughout the region. It is one of four City of San Diego projects receiving funding not including the Rosecrans shelter.

“It is important for the County to support a variety of housing options throughout the region,” said County Health and Human Services Agency Director Nick Macchione. “When it comes to addressing homelessness, there is no single right answer.”

A total of nine projects have been identified to receive county grant money which will create 372 new shelter beds across six cities. The projects range from serving families and seniors to providing safe parking and sleeping cabins.

Anita Lightfoot is a group communications officer with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact