Homeless services provider focuses programs to better assist San Diego’s neighbors in need
In order to address the needs of San Diego’s homeless population in light of our region’s growing housing crisis, Father Joe’s Villages announces four new scattered-site permanent housing programs. According to President and CEO Deacon Jim Vargas, the organization is investing in more permanent housing to address the largest barrier to solving homelessness in our community – a shortage of housing options. Father Joe’s Villages is also re-focusing existing programs to maintain its most effective services to end homelessness and retain financial viability.
“A growing part of San Diego’s homeless crisis is the lack of permanent affordable housing – our city has a vacancy rate of nearly zero,” says Deacon Jim. “We’re leading the way by investing in nationwide best practices to solve homelessness while remaining committed to addressing each person’s unique barriers to achieving self-sufficiency.”
The new permanent housing programs run by Father Joe’s Villages include services to address the challenging needs of veterans, young adults, single men and women, and San Diego’s most chronically homeless individuals. To accomplish this increase in permanent housing, some of the beds that currently provide transitional housing are being repurposed. The organization will add permanent housing for single adults at its Commercial and 15th property and for young adults ages 18-24 at the Toussaint Center at 5th & Ash. Additional individuals will also be served in scattered-site housing throughout San Diego county. The agency will continue to serve teens at its St. Vincent de Paul Village campus in the East Village. These changes allow Father Joe’s Villages to prioritize solutions that meet the long-term needs of San Diego’s homeless individuals.
“These modifications are part of our long-term vision to invest in diverse strategies that most effectively, and permanently, get people off the streets,” says Deacon Jim. “With increased permanent housing options, Father Joe’s Villages will be better able to utilize housing and supportive services to help individuals and families secure a stable future.”
Ed Witt, a Chairman of the Father Joe’s Villages Board of Directors and owner of Witt Lincoln, adds that, given the increased severity of homelessness in San Diego County, Father Joe’s Villages needs financial support from the community. “We must work together to invest in the future of San Diego,” he says. “Donations from local businesses, foundations and individuals are the only way to make these critical programs possible.”
Father Joe’s Villages’ shifts in programming are part of an ongoing strategy to focus more on the most pressing needs of San Diego’s homeless. In total, the changes will provide permanent housing for 225 more people and convert 134 transitional housing beds, bringing the agency’s total offerings to 947 permanent housing units, 214 transitional housing beds and 488 interim housing beds. The organization is working with each client affected by the changes individually to ensure they secure the best possible services and housing. No staff will lose their jobs as part of the program adjustments. Employees changing roles within the company will fill positions created by the new programs.
As a nonprofit organization, Father Joe’s Villages relies on community support. Visit neighbor.org to find ways get involved and donate to help end homelessness in San Diego.
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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES
As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for over 66 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with more than 2,000 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and more than 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s Villages offers solutions to address the complex needs of people who are homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end the cycle of homelessness for the nearly 8,700 homeless individuals in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.
