The Welcome Home Village, a program that aims to address homeless encampments throughout San Luis Obispo, has a new location that concerns many neighbors along Flora Street.
“Having this development that we are just now hearing about today is shocking, to say the least,” said Julie Gall.
Gall lives on Flora Street and does not want this development, saying she's concerned it may affect her quality of life.
“We already are encumbered by the probation department and Transitions-Mental Health housing. We've worked with those agencies, but still have had problems with those agencies that involved the police and extra services to respond to those issues,” Gall said.
She agrees the homeless population in San Luis Obispo does need more assistance and that these programs could be more helpful. However...
“It's not that we don’t want care and service for them, it's just the wrong area to implement it,” Gall said.
Others in the community express a different opinion.
“I think more support and services yields better outcomes,” said Rose Levinson, San Luis Obispo resident.
Up to 80 homeless individuals will be provided housing and support services at the Welcome Home Village so they can move from homelessness to long-term housing.
According to a press release from San Luis Obispo County, the facility will be fenced with on-site staff to provide oversight at all times and security cameras located throughout the site.
Levinson, who drives by the area every day, says it would be a great asset for the community.
“More services like this project will only be better for kids and going downtown. It's supposed to address encampments and stuff like that. I can only imagine for our whole community at large it will be really impactful,” Levinson said.
Previously, the site was going to be located near the intersection of South Higuera St. and Prado Rd. in San Luis Obispo but county officials moved the location to the Health Agency Campus because of its central location to many services like medical centers, behavioral outpatient services, and more.
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