The City of San Diego is once again transforming its old Central Library into a beacon of hope for the homeless as Mayor Todd Gloria reaffirmed the city's pledge to tackle homelessness by reopening a 34-bed shelter for women, managed by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) San Diego, which offers not just a bed but also crucial services including case management, social service access, and help finding permanent housing, according to a city statement.
Having been a temporary sanctuary for those without a roof over their heads since last January, the library shelter was forced to close its doors in July due to permit issues, however, its doors swung inwards once more on Monday, Jan. 22, amidst ongoing discussions about converting the space into a blend of long-term shelter and affordable housing "These additional beds reflect my firm commitment to use every City resource possible to get people off the street and into care," Mayor Todd Gloria said in the statement circulating in local media channels, the facility which operates under a temporary 180-day permit within a yearly cycle adds a layer to the city's multifaceted approach to the homeless crisis.
District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, a vocal advocate for the homeless, lauded the shelter's reopening, "The reopening of the shelter at the old Central Library will offer an additional short-term opportunity for unhoused women. In the long-term, I look forward to this site being redeveloped into a mix of shelter and affordable housing where many more people will receive the assistance they need to get back on their feet," he voiced to local media, the shelter's reopening comes amid the city's efforts in resolving tent cities that sprouted like unwelcome weeds around the old library's vicinity, thanks, in part, to a generous $2.45 million Encampment Resolution Grant from the State of California.
In her address, Sarah Jarman, the city's Director of Homelessness Strategies and Solutions, noted, "Right now, this is the best use of the old Central Library in Downtown," adding to the prevailing tone that all pitched solutions, whether they be warehouses, other unused spaces or parking lots, are being considered to shelter the increasing number of San Diegans in need. Indeed, the old Central Library is now reopened as an overnight shelter, adding to the city's Comprehensive Shelter Strategy, which shines a beacon on diverse, perhaps previously unforeseen avenues for those hollowed out by homelessness.
