The winning proposal for a one-stop center in San Diego where homeless and extremely low-income residents could be linked to housing and services has yet to be announced — and doesn’t appear likely to be unveiled anytime soon.
In July, I reported on a number of different regional plans for combating homelessness. This intake center was one of them. Here’s what I wrote then:
The city of San Diego is a month away from picking a plan for a new one-stop center. … The city also wants emergency shelter beds and permanent supportive units built as part of the proposal. The city is mum on the proposals that have come in but expects to send one on for review by September.
No decision came in September.
In August, the Housing Commission’s rep on the selection committee, Cissy Fisher, spoke on a panel about local homelessness and mentioned the center:
…(she) said today to “cross your fingers for October.”
Now, it’s nearly mid-October. I checked in with the Housing Commission today to see when they’re expecting to make a decision.
I heard this afternoon from Maria Velasquez, spokeswoman for the Housing Commission, who said she checked in with Fisher.
“It’s probably not going to be October,” Velasquez said. “They’re reviewing the proposals. I guess you could say they’re doing their due diligence.”
She said the nine-member committee has met four times, once a month in June, July, August and September. Because of the delicate nature of real estate negotiations, the committee is not divulging the number of proposals that have come in.
I asked if we could expect a decision from the committee sometime next month on a winning proposal. Velasquez wouldn’t say.
“We’re not even supposed to be talking to the media, because it is what it is,” Velasquez said. “They’re still meeting, reviewing proposals.”
The winter tent shelter — the city’s controversial stopgap measure — opens on December 2.