Grover Beach, CA – The City of Grover Beach continues to take meaningful action to address homelessness in our community in partnership with other agencies. The construction of two temporary emergency housing facilities at 16th Street and Long Branch Avenue and the end of Barca in Grover Beach is complete and accepting guests.
These projects, known as Cabins for Change and Balay Ko on Barca, are the first of their kind in South County providing shelter and important supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Cabins for Change opened in Dec. 22 with support from the City of Grover Beach, County of San Luis Obispo, and federal sources leveraged through the support of Congressman Salud Carbajal. The newest shelter, Balay Ko on Barca - My Home for Hope, was completed in July 2024. With the support of the Balay Ko Foundation, which underwrote all capital expenses, the City of Grover Beach, the County of San Luis Obispo, (SLO) and5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC) were able to bring this innovative facility to life.
Learn more about each facility by clicking on the images below.
Why Temporary Emergency Housing?
Homelessness is a complex and ever-growing challenge that touches all communities, having worsened in recent years due to housing scarcity caused by rising rents, limited wages and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. San Luis Obispo County has the third largest percentage of unsheltered homeless in the nation and we are the second least affordable small metro area in the country with our cost of housing more than 50% higher than the national average. Unsheltered homelessness in SLO County has grown by 22% in just five years. Recognizing this immense and mounting challenge, in 2018 the County Board of Supervisors, along with seven local City Councils, declared a homeless emergency housing crisis. This made SLO County eligible to receive state and federal funding to address the County’s need for additional emergency housing and service options. To that end, the 20 cabin Cabins for Change temporary emergency housing in Grover Beach will be funded by CARES Act relief funds from the federal government. Balay Ko on Barca, a 30-bungalow facility, is funded largely by the Balay Ko Foundation.
In order to move forward with piloting these new temporary emergency housing models for the region, a temporary County ordinance was approved by the SLO County Board of Supervisors on September 28, 2021to establish minimum safety standards for any subject emergency housing facility located on County owned or leased public facilities. This ordinance serves as the mechanism that has allowed the installation and piloting of the temporary emergency housing on County property in Grover Beach where operations are planned to begin by early October, 2022.
What Makes This Temporary Emergency Housing in Grover Beach Different?
The temporary emergency shelter utilizes a non-congregate housing model, allowing individuals to be housed in independent cabins rather than a communal space. This approach provides a more stable living environment and reduces individuals’ exposure to airborne heath challenges. 5CHC is managing the 20 cabins at the facility and provides 24/7 support, case management and connections to food services, recovery and housing stabilization guidance. The individual cabins have beds, heat and electricity. Shared dining, bathroom and shower facilities are provided in a separate unit. The facility operates 24 hours a day and provides individual adults with a private, safe room to stay in while they utilize the provided resources to take their next steps toward sustainable housing.
This non-congregate approach has three main benefits. It…
- Provides a new stable living environment in South County that fosters rest, recovery, and hope;
- Is more efficient, from a construction standpoint;
- Has added health benefits since individuals are less susceptible to airborne health challenges like COVID-19 which has limited access to and sometimes even shut down area congregate temporary shelters due to a spread of infection.
This temporary emergency housing program provides a comprehensive system of care that incorporates both compassion and structured guidance via an intensive case-managed, limited-stay program on a restricted campus. Additionally, it takes advantage of County services provided on the same campus just hundreds of feet away. In other words, this can truly be a life-changing experience for those in need.
5CHC, the County of SLO and City of Grover Beach are committed to the safety and well-being of both the on-site clients and the surrounding neighborhoods. 5CHC, which has extensive experience working with individuals to become self-sufficient and productive community members. For example, in the last 12 months 5CHC has helped 200 households move into housing in San Luis Obispo County through its rapid re-housing program. Additionally 5CHC prevented eviction for more than 75 families, and relocated 18 families to communities where they had greater resources and family supports. 5CHC works with many community partners to make this work happen throughout San Luis Obispo county, and is grateful for this collaborative work.
5CHC will operate these facilities with 24-hour staffing and, while issues are not anticipated, is also collaborating closely with the Grover Beach Police Department in addition to implementing safety measures such as the use of curfews, security cameras, and more.
How does this fit with the County's recently adopted 5-year Plan to Address Homelessness?
Cities across the country are struggling with the issue of homelessness. San Luis Obispo County is no exception and what we have learned through previous efforts is we need to do things differently. County staff has been working with various city leaders, non-profits and other civic organizations, as well as the unhoused and formerly unhoused to come up with a new approach. In August the County Board of Supervisors adopted a new 5-year Plan to Address Homelessness with a 5-0 vote. This video is an overview of the plan.
Has this method been used in other places?
This housing model has proven successful in assisting those experiencing homelessness in other communities across the Country and throughout California. We look forward to the opportunity to pilot this model and evaluate its results of transitioning individuals into permanent housing here in SLO County. However, it is important to recognize that this initiative is one of many needed to tackle homelessness throughout SLO County, and is just one great example of how success is driven by strong partnerships and willingness of communities, government, nonprofit organizations and many others.
Additional Resources
This section will be updated as more resources become available.
SLO County BOS Meeting Materials
- September 28, 2021
- September 14, 2021
- May 4, 2021
Press Releases
