Vista moves forward on city-owned homeless navigation center

City Council approves first phase with San Diego Rescue Mission for site consulting on a 50-bed, 24/7 facility, with debate continuing over shelter models

VISTA — The city took one step closer to realizing its own homeless navigation center.

The City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the San Diego Rescue Mission during its June 24 meeting. The project is in two phases, and the agreement is for the first phase, which consists of site consulting, while the second phase is for an operator.

As part of the request for proposal, SDRM, which was the only provider to apply, the non-profit proposed a 50-bed, low-barrier interim housing project with 24/7 operations, meals, showers, personal storage and basic needs services. Individuals, couples or families would reside at the facility for a maximum of 30 days with services and then transition to permanent housing, according to Assistant City Manager Imelda Huerta, Homeless Services Manager Jonathan Lung.

The city will allocate $4.5 million, with another $1 million coming from a state grant via Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), Huerta said. However, the next steps include finding a suitable location, development plans, business model and other elements.

The center has been a priority for the City Council since 2023, when the council approved allocating $4.5 million toward a city-owned facility. In addition, Vista and Encinitas have a joint agreement splitting beds at the Buena Creek Navigation Center in Vista. There are 36 beds for Vista residents and 12 for Encinitas.