San Diego’s Fourth ‘Bridge’ Shelter Set To Open In November

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Above: Bunk beds line a communal sleep area at a new, temporary shelter for homeless families at Golden Hall in downtown San Diego, April 1, 2019.

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The San Diego City Council is moving forward on homeless issues this week. After approving an ambitious Community Action Plan on Homelessness, the council gave the OK for the Alpha Project to run a fourth new bridge shelter.

Aired: October 16, 2019 | Transcript

The San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved a contract with Alpha Project, a nonprofit homeless service provider, to run a fourth "bridge" shelter at 17th Street and Imperial Avenue in downtown San Diego.

The new temporary shelter will add 150 shelter beds to San Diego’s homeless resources. It will focus on providing services to underserved populations within the homeless community, including young adults and individuals with physical and mental disabilities. The idea behind the city's "bridge" shelters is that they can serve as a temporary place to stay while homeless individuals find a permanent home.

The council's approval of the contract for the fourth temporary shelter follows the council's approval Monday of a strategic plan to address homelessness in the city. The new plan calls for an additional 350 to 500 shelter beds in the city.

Bob McElroy, the president and CEO of Alpha Project, joined Midday Edition on Wednesday to discuss the city's new homeless plan and the role temporary tent shelters play in addressing the homeless crisis.