By Gabby McIntyre
Rachel’s Promise Center is a shelter run by the Catholic Charities under the Diocese of San Diego. It was created to aid children and women facing housing insecurity in the San Diego area with a focus on women who have experienced domestic violence and abuse. With a unanimous vote from the San Diego Housing Commission’s Board of Commissioners, the shelter will begin to accept women and children in March The shelter predicts that they will help around 5000 people when at max capacity. 57% of women experiencing homelessness report domestic violence as the main contributor to their homelessness, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. 63% of unhoused women report being victims of sexual and domestic abuse, and 90% of women facing homelessness stated they were victims of sexual or physical abuse.
“With this new shelter, we’re expanding our capacity to get more people off the street and connected to care,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. The center will host 109 beds for single women and 101 beds for families with children. Rachel’s Promise Shelter Program is dedicated to providing more privacy for families and situations unique to girls and women. With a focus on providing resources to women and families, their long-term goal for the people who pass through their doors is to give them the resources and trauma-informed care needed to move to long-term permanent housing. On top of providing shelter, clothes, food, showers, and laundry services, Rachel’s Promise features many programs to help people gain skills and resources to thrive outside of the center. Some things include individual therapy, life-skill classes, and help in applying for benefits.
The project’s start-up and administrative cost will total $1.6 million for the city in the first 4 months of opening, and the annual estimated cost to run the shelter is $5.3 million a year. Despite the hefty price, most people support Rachel’s Promise’s mission. Rachel Hayes, who was on the streets for 10 years before finding housing a year and a half ago, stated, “We need shelters that meet everybody’s individual needs. Not one; not one shoe fits all.”
References:
Hill, R. (n.d.). Advocates reflect on newly approved homeless shelter for women & children. ABC 10News. https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/advocates-reflect-on-newly-approved-homeless-shelter-for-women-children
San Diego Housing Commission. (2025, February 14). 210-bed City of San Diego-funded shelter for unhoused women and families receives approval. https://sdhc.org/news-release/shelter-for-women-and-families-approved/
The National Domestic Violence Hotline. (n.d.). Emergency housing for domestic violence victims.https://www.thehotline.org/resources/emergency-housing-for-domestic-violence-victims/