San Luis Obispo County has made ending street homelessness a critical priority. DignityMoves partnered with the City of Grover Beach, the County of San Luis Obispo, and 5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC) to open Balay Ko on Barca, a 30-unit interim supportive housing community with the capacity to serve 36 residents, funded entirely through private philanthropy. Balay Ko on Barca demonstrates that communities don’t need to wait for government funding to act.
The interim supportive housing community is located at 955 S. 4th Street, between Barca and S. 4th Street in Grover Beach. The City of Grover Beach leased the land to 5Cities Homeless Coalition. The community includes 30 individual sleeping cabins for adults experiencing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County, with a priority for those from South County. Each room has a bed, a desk and chair, heating and air conditioning, a window, and, most importantly, a door that locks. Gensler has thoughtfully designed the site to create a welcoming community and foster a sense of belonging. The community also includes case manager offices, extensive dining and community spaces, a computer lab, pet area, community gardens and ample storage for residents’ belongings.
DignityMoves is proud to partner with service providers like 5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC), who operate this supervised interim supportive housing community. 5CHC services families and individuals by providing the resources, support, and hope that they need to become self-sufficient, productive community members. Planning how best to address the needs of the homeless in South San Luis Obispo County today involves many caring citizens and community leaders, and 5CHC takes a collaborative approach to meet the challenge.
If you or someone you know is currently experiencing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County and would like to be put on the waitlist for housing in our community, please contact the team at 5CHS at: (805) 574-1638. DignityMoves does not manage referrals for this community.