OCEANSIDE — The City of Oceanside will receive nearly $3 million in federal funding for three separate projects, including more than $2 million for a new homeless shelter.
Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) announced the award of funds late last week following the House of Representatives’ approval of the bill, which will also send Ukraine $13.6 billion in military, humanitarian, and economic aid.
The city of Oceanside will receive $2.25 million for the development of its new homeless shelter in the former Ocean Shores High School building. San Diego Rescue Mission will be responsible for operating the 50-bed shelter while the city is responsible for converting the building into a physical shelter.
“The city is funding the public improvements necessary to convert the Ocean Shores school buildings into the new homeless shelter,” said City Manager Deanna Lorson via email. “We anticipate that the federal funds will cover these costs.”
As The Coast News previously reported, the shelter will provide stabilization and support services as well as pathways to more permanent housing for its clients. The program uses a trauma-informed care model designed to serve its clients through its low-barrier entry and operations, and a 30-day maximum stay for clients with some flexibility depending on the case.
Leilani Hines, director of Housing and Neighborhood Services, referred to the shelter as the “Oceanside Navigation Center.”
“The Navigation Center is a much-needed resource in Oceanside and will provide dignity, hope and a first step in what we hope to be a pathway to healing and recovery for our unsheltered Oceanside residents,” Hines said via email. “We are excited and proud of our collaboration with the San Diego Rescue Mission and to those who have advocated for us and pushed for much-needed funding, particularly Senators Feinstein and Padilla and Congressman Levin, to realize this asset for our community.”
An additional $587,000 from the federal bill will go to the Oceanside Police Department for a new vehicle camera system. The new system will expand the number of perspectives on an incident when action is required.
The new camera system will include a dashboard camera facing out the front windshield of the police vehicle and a camera for monitoring the back seat of the vehicle. The system will interact with the department’s existing body-worn cameras, activating the recording devices within short proximity of the officer’s vehicle once an action is taken.
The police department’s new camera system is meant to enhance transparency and accountability.
Oceanside Museum of Art is also getting $150,000 for its literacy program, which aims to promote and advance reading fluency and comprehension through interactions with art and culture.
These funds are part of nearly $53.2 million in funding for local North San Diego County projects.
Carlsbad will receive $5 million for the Barrio street lighting and traffic circle project, while North County Transit District will get $1.7 million for the construction of a hydrogen fueling station with capacity for fueling up to 50 fuel cell electric buses.
Another $10 million will go to the San Diego Association of Governments for its COASTER commuter rail corridor stabilization project, while Camp Pendleton is set to receive $19.9 million for an I-MEF Consolidated Information Center and another $13.6 million for a veterinary clinic replacement.
