City of Grover Beach uses COVID-19 relief funds to purchase property for homeless housing facility
GROVER BEACH, Calif. – The Grover Beach City Council unanimously voted on Monday to purchase a vacant property with federal COVID-19 relief funds to use as a homeless housing facility.
The city council approved using the city's allocated American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase a vacant property at 955 S. 4th Street to use for additional homeless housing options, according to City Manager Matthew Bronson.
“Homelessness continues to be a top priority for city council and city staff. As a city, we are committed to use these one-time ARPA funds to make a difference in our community by addressing this complex societal issue,” said Mayor Jeff Lee.
“With the purchase of this property, we will enable the 5Cities Homeless Coalition to develop a homeless housing facility to provide critically needed shelter space in the region.”
The facility will provide non-congregate temporary housing that could serve as bridge housing or an emergency shelter, Bronson said.
It intends to provide a high level of management and monitoring in order to enhance homeless individuals' and community safety.
"By establishing the housing facility, the city can provide secure shelter space to be able to better enforce camping prohibitions in public spaces, such as city parks, and address the concerns of community members," Bronson added.
Grover Beach has been working with partner agencies and organizations, including 5Cities Homeless Coalition, for several years, recognizing that homelessness is a multi-dimensional issue, Bronson said.
5Cities Homeless Coalition's research found that the S. 4th Street property was an optimal location for a homeless facility, as it sits on 0.44 acres in the city's Coastal Industrial Zone and the Emergency Shelter Overlay Zone, according to Bronson.
The city of Grover Beach continues to invest in a regional effort to establish a temporary emergency shelter on San Luis Obispo County property in Grover Beach.
The shelter concept includes installing 20 100-square-foot "cabins," and it would offer a comprehensive system of care that includes 24/7 case management, Bronson said.
The temporary shelter will be the first shelter in south San Luis Obispo County and is expected to open in the spring through at least December 2023.
