Sen. Blakespear Presents $5 Million Check to City of Vista for Homelessness Housing Project
VISTA, Calif. – Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas, presented a $5 million check to the City of Vista on Wednesday to provide interim and permanent supportive housing units for people experiencing homelessness in North San Diego County.
The City of Vista and the City of Encinitas will jointly share the units to benefit residents of both communities. The money, which Blakespear got added to the state budget, will help fund interim supportive housing that includes non-congregate bedrooms with shared kitchens.
The funding will cover the Buena Creek Navigation Center’s cost of operations for three years. The center has 24 single occupancy rooms, with Vista slated to use 18 and Encinitas six.
“Both as the former mayor of Encinitas and as a state senator, I understand the importance and value of this project in addressing homelessness in these communities,” Blakespear said. “The unhoused need housing, plain and simple. I am glad I could get this money included in the state budget because this center will make a big difference for Vista and Encinitas.”
"I want to thank Senator Blakespear for securing $5 million from the State of California to create and operate the City of Vista's Buena Creek Navigation Center,” said Vista Mayor John Franklin. “Acquiring this crucial funding will enable Vista to offer non-congregate emergency shelter, focused on serving those who are ready to find permanent housing. We call it a ‘Navigation Center,’ because its mission is to help residents along the path to permanent housing. Without this funding, the City's ability to reliably offer shelter during the current shortage was in jeopardy."
“It is with great pride that we stand in partnership with the City of Vista to support the Buena Creek Navigation Center for North County San Diego,” said Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz. “This initiative will provide shelter beds for our unhoused community members and offer support services to prepare them for the transition into permanent housing. We extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Blakespear for her instrumental role in securing funding for the Navigation Center and for her proactive efforts in tackling homelessness. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in our collective commitment to addressing this critical issue.”
Addressing homelessness and affordable housing is a top priority for Blakespear, who has worked on the issues at the local level as well as in the State Senate. She authored SB 482, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law, to encourage the development of housing units that serve unhoused individuals with little or no income and the greatest needs.
Blakespear also authored SB 7, which would mandate that cities and counties provide housing for people who are unhoused. The bill has not yet passed the Legislature.
In addition, Blakespear hosted a Homeless 101 Workshop in Orange County in August and an Ending Homelessness Summit in Carlsbad in October. You can watch those events here.
Elected in November, Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and part of Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.
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