Months after it was evacuated and severely damaged during the Jan. 22 downpour, 316 homeless San Diegans moved back into the tent shelter at 16th Street and Newton Avenue in Barrio Logan on Wednesday.
City spokesperson Matt Hoffman wrote in an email that the return came after vendor Clean Harbors sanitized both inside and outside the sprung structure and pressure washed to remove dirt around the shelter. Hoffman said workers also removed and replaced the structure’s flood-damaged lining. Hoffman could not immediately say how much the work cost.
Until Wednesday, Alpha Project temporarily operated its 326-bed shelter at the Balboa Park Activity Center for months.
Alpha Project CEO Bob McElroy said shelter residents were relieved and excited to move back to Barrio Logan where they have outdoor communal space and more access to other services. McElroy said he was impressed with how shelter residents and staff handled both moves.
“The resilience of our people was outstanding as always,” McElroy said.
We are paying too much to house these bums