It's that time of year when the emergency winter shelters for the homeless used to close and discharge their occupants back onto the streets.
San Diego's winter shelter tents closed their doors for the last time in April 2015 in favor of longer-term housing programs. The trend is the same in North County. But this year, for the first time, a shelter called Haven House is operating year-round at Interfaith Community Services in Escondido.
The plan is to close the shelter only when it’s no longer needed, said Greg Anglea, executive director of Interfaith Community Services.
“Homelessness is a year-round issue,” Anglea told KPBS Midday Edition on Wednesday.
Because Haven House doesn’t operate during the day, it’s focusing on individuals who are on the path to employment. People with mental health issues, for instance, may not benefit from this particular Interfaith Community Services program, Anglea said.
He added that the group has a variety of programs to help the local homeless population.
“There's no one-size-fits-all solution for homelessness,” Anglea said.