The city’s winter homeless shelter will likely stay in downtown San Diego this year. The city council gave initial approval Friday to a site just steps from City Hall.
The city council has given the preliminary go ahead to put the winter shelter in Golden Hall, just across the courtyard from the San Diego Civic Theater. The council reached the compromise after repeatedly deadlocking 4-to-4 on other possible locations.
The council will consider a final proposal for the site on November 3rd. Council President Ben Hueso was happy with the decision.
“I think some of the challenges are not insurmountable. I think we can solve these problems. I think the actions before us will allow staff to go back and give us a plan that will be in compliance with the law,” he said.
The city would have to relocate several events already scheduled for Golden Hall this winter. Councilman Kevin Faulconer was the lone vote against the site. He said he couldn’t support putting the shelter in downtown again. His district includes downtown, which has been home to the shelter for the past several years.
“(We need to start) addressing homelessness in other parts of the city and in other neighborhoods that need the same type of help,” he said.
A recent survey found there around about 1,000 homeless people living in downtown.
