Peninsula's first homeless shelter set to begin screening applicants by phone on Jan. 12.

Almost exactly two years ago the idea for the Monterey Peninsula's first permanent homeless shelter was proposed using a portion of $12.5 million provided to Monterey County from a Homeless Emergency Aid Program fund created by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017. 

That shelter named Casa de Noche Buena, operated by the two nonprofits Gathering For Women and Community Human Services, is located at 1292 Olympia Ave., Seaside, is now a reality—open to single women and families with children—and will begin screening applicants by phone at 10am on Tuesday, Jan. 12. There are no paper applications; those interested are asked to call 831-373-4421.

Besides beds, the 10-bedroom shelter will offer meals and supportive services that will eventually lead to permanent housing in the community for it guests. They may stay at the shelter for up to three months, six if it's needed.

The bedrooms are fully furnished, and there’s a laundry room, kitchen and multi-purpose room. Guests will be able to keep their belongings at the shelter during their stay but it is not accepting pets at this time.

Those who are accepted into the shelter will begin entering on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Free Covid-19 tests will be made available ahead of moving in.

“There’s such a desperate need for shelter,” CHS Executive Director Robin McCrae told the Weekly in December. “This is a big milestone for our community.” 

Casa de Noche Buena is located inside a former Monterey County Health Department building along Broadway Avenue. After emergency program funds were announced in September 2018, county officials began talks with the city of Seaside about using the space for a shelter.

Details were shared at a town hall meeting in January 2019, where other ideas were announced, including one from leaders from GFW and CHS were in talks about creating a shelter for both women and men. A third proposal was formulated by the Veterans Transition Center to transform the large basement at its Marina headquarters into a homeless center for anyone, not just veterans.

Because of a tight state deadline, planning progressed quickly and momentum grew behind using the monies to transform the county Seaside building and contracting with GFW and CHS as operators of the program. Just a month after the town hall, the Seaside City Council gave preliminary approval for the shelter operating there.

In May 2019 the Leadership Council of the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers voted to allot $1.3 million of the monies coming from the state to the Seaside shelter and $6 million for a permanent shelter in Salinas. A fund was created with the Community Foundation for Monterey County to collect donations for Casa de Noche Buena's operation. (Donations are still being accepted on an ongoing basis.)

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic breaking out in March 2020, building the Seaside shelter moved forward with a virtual groundbreaking in June, and construction was completed last month.