Residents, officials react to Golden Hall homeless shelter closure
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Golden Hall, a long-standing emergency homeless shelter in San Diego, is set to permanently close its doors after five years of service.
Originally utilized as a convention center and venue for election night political rallies, Golden Hall has served as a crucial refuge for the city’s homeless population. However, due to water leaks and concerns raised by the fire marshal, city officials have decided to shutter the facility, displacing around 260 individuals.
“Everybody who will be transitioning here in the next few months, full stop, we made a commitment to take care of the people here, and we are going to do just that. So, every person is going to have an opportunity to move into an existing facility or a new shelter. Nobody is going to wind up on the streets here, we are going to offer them another bed,” stated Matt Hoffman, a spokesperson for the City of San Diego.
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For many residents, Golden Hall has been a lifeline amidst the growing struggle to find housing in downtown San Diego. Although described as barracks-style and less than ideal, the shelter has provided essential amenities and a sense of security.
“It’s cool they got food, and you can kick back,” remarked one shelter resident.
Despite its significance, efforts to preserve Golden Hall as a long-term shelter are deemed impractical by city officials. With plans for redevelopment of the entire Civic Center and the proposal of additional shelters underway, the cost of maintaining Golden Hall as a permanent shelter is estimated at around $9 million, a figure deemed prohibitive.
“For us to be able to use this as a permanent, full-time shelter it would cost about $9 million on the minimum side of things, and we don’t think that is a wise investment,” Hoffman said.
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