Corporation for Supportive Housing in San Diego, California

,opened in 2000, has supported the creation of 502 units of permanent supportive housing throughout San Diego County.  In doing so, CSH has provided technical assistance and loan financing to Senior Community Centers, Jewish Family Services, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center, The Association for Community Housing Solutions (TACHS), Townspeople, Father Joe’s Villages, Catholic Charities, and Avenues for Community Living.

CSH is involved with the following in San Diego:

Mental Health Services Act

NEW: (September 2007)San Diego MHSA Housing Plan – now available!  Click here to read.

CSH is Housing Technical Consultant Services for San Diego County Mental Health Services under the Mental Health Services Act.  CSH is working with consultants to provide technical assistance related to housing development, to connect with mental health housing providers in the community, and to lead the development of the Mental Health Housing Plan, along with the San Diego Housing Federation to link closely with affordable housing developers,.  Charlie Corrigan joined CSH San Diego in October 2006 as the new Associate Program Manager to provide support to this technical consulting contract.
CSH has provided technical and capacity-building assistance to over 30 agencies and organizations interested in expanding supportive housing development in San Diego.  Much of this assistance has encouraged organizations to pursue funding opportunities, such as the Governor’s Homeless Initiative, Multifamily Supprotive Housing Program (MHP-SH), HUD’s Federal SuperNOFA, SAMHSA and project-based Section 8.

Supportive Housing Training
CSH convenes and coordinates training sessions on a variety of topics to educate the supportive housing community in San Diego.  These sessions have included a Supportive Housing Conference in 2002, a supportive housing track held at the San Diego Housing Federation’s annual conferences (every year since 2002), and seminars covering issues relating to housing for ex-offenders, substance users and youth.  Through CSH’s peer-to-peer exchanges, organizations learn from experienced supportive housing providers and are able to visit models of permanent supportive housing in other communities. 
Training is held on an ongoing basis throughout the year.  Please contact us for further details.

    
               The Del Mar                                                               Sunburst Apartments  

Homelessness in San Diego

An estimated 360,000 Californians are homeless every day, as reported by Governor Davis’ Interagency Task Force on Homelessness in 2002.  Of those persons, it is estimated that as many as 30% are homeless on a chronic or long-term basis, often-times for years on end with no sustained periods of housing stability.  Long-term homelessness is a significant issue in San Diego County; the Regional Task Force on the Homeless estimates that at least 1,383 San Diegans are experiencing long-term homelessness on any given day. 

The majority of individuals who experience long-term homelessness face persistent health challenges and multiple barriers to housing stability.  Surveys of homeless people generally indicate that at least 30% have a serious mental illness, over 70% have a history of alcohol or drug problems, and 5% or more are HIV positive.  Without increased opportunities to access permanent, affordable housing, integrated with supportive services designed to address their special needs, many persistently homeless individuals and families will remain on the street, will receive only short-term assistance (either in shelters, hospitals, or treatment placements), and/or will recycle through the criminal justice system and other public systems, without ever having a meaningful opportunity to end their homelessness. 

CSH in San Diego
The Corporation for Supportive Housing in San Diego