Lived Experiences, an Oceanside nonprofit known for offering free laundry, food and other basic supports, has hit pause on most public programs after city staff told organizers their storefront was operating without required permits. The group has suspended distributions and outdoor events while city officials and the nonprofit sort through zoning and building questions. Founder Oscarin Ortego still uses the site as an office, but public-facing services are on hold for now.
City flagged zoning, ordered events to stop
According to a notice of violation from Oceanside planning staff, the center’s current activities are not allowed under existing zoning and would require an administrative conditional use permit, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune. The city also told the operator that a building permit was needed when transferring the business license. Until the permit issue is sorted out, staff instructed the nonprofit to halt outdoor gatherings and distributions while the application is under review.
From a laundry trailer to a neighborhood hub
The operation started small, as a pandemic-era mobile laundry and outreach effort, and eventually grew into a brick-and-mortar resource center last year. The storefront offered free laundry, a food and diaper pantry, youth programs and even a small gym, according to the nonprofit’s website. Lived Experiences traces its founding to 2019, with mobile food and laundry programs rolling out in 2020 and 2021. Local coverage of the 2025 opening described the storefront as a donation-powered community hub, and KPBS reported on the group’s May 2025 move into a Redondo Drive space.
Application filed, center awaits review
Oceanside’s city manager told reporters that the nonprofit has now submitted an application for an administrative conditional use permit and paid the $3,000 filing fee, and that the request will go through the city’s standard review process, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. While that paperwork works its way through the City Hall, the organization says it has suspended on-site distributions and most other public activities. Organizers say they are focused on securing the necessary approvals so they can restart programs once the city signs off.
Partners and neighbors feel the gap
The pause is already being felt by neighbors and partner agencies. The Oceanside Public Library lists Lived Experiences as a weekly partner and notes the group’s Monday hours at the Redondo Drive location, a schedule that regulars had come to count on. With the storefront quiet, clients are being redirected to partner organizations and mobile distribution events where those are still available.
What’s next
The nonprofit says it is working through the city’s process to secure required permits and plans to resume distributions once approvals are granted and any conditions are met. In the meantime, organizers are steering clients toward partner agencies and maintaining mobile outreach where it is allowed. The city’s decision on the administrative conditional use permit will determine whether the Redondo Drive site can again host the full slate of services that made it a neighborhood hub.
