The first-ever homeless shelter in Paso Robles opens this Friday with the help of Project Home-Key grants.
What once was a Motel 6 will now be a home for many in Paso Robles and organizers say they are ready for this first step.
"We are just so excited that ECHO Paso Robles is actually coming to fruition. It's just amazing that we will be able to provide what is so critically needed in Paso Robles,” said CEO of ECHO, Wendy Lewis.
Both temporary and permanent homes will be provided with the help of organizations like ECHO, Peoples' Self-Help Housing and the Housing Authority of San Luis Obispo.
According to ECHO, who is in charge of the temporary housing on the facility, they will be the first to welcome people inside.
"We will house 10 people the first night is our goal and will be increasing incrementally over the next month," ECHO’s Homeless Services Director Jeff Al-Mashat said.
They say they are prioritizing rooms whether it’s in a single bedroom or a family bedroom.
“Families with children are at the top of our list, people over 65 who have medical needs,” Al-Mashat said.
They add it will be a case-by-case basis to determine who gets temporary housing. People can stay a few days or even up to three months depending on their situation.
On the other side, where the permanent housing will be, Peoples' Self-Help Housing and Housing Authority SLO say they are still working on small touches before they open in February of next year.
"So it'll be just like a regular apartment where people will qualify for those and there will be a lease for them to be able to stay long-term," said CEO of People Self Help Housing, Ken Trigueiro.
ECHO says they will be needing help from the community.
“ECHO is providing resources, but we are not going to be the only solution, so we are going to need help from the community to really support us as we support people back into housing,” Lewis said.
Security and staff will be on-sight on a daily basis to make sure things run smoothly.
