Housing Programs
Looking for Housing Assistance?
Contact Us
If you are in need of housing support, please email housing@home-start.org summarizing your current situation including city, number of children, birthdates of all family members, monthly income, and valid contact information. Prospective clients can also self-refer via our Housing Intake Line: (619) 430-0032.
Central Housing Walk-In Hours at 333 East Main Street in El Cajon:
Youth Age 18-24: Mondays 12:30-4PM
Adults Age 25+: Thursdays 12:30-4PM
Home Start, Inc. Housing Programs provide safe and secure transitional and permanent supportive housing for single Transitional Age Youth, ages 18-24 (TAY), pregnant/parenting Transitional Age Youth, and Transitional Age Youth aging out of the foster care system.
Home Start also provides outreach services, housing navigation, domestic violence services, rapid rehousing, and other support services for individuals experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness. Home Start's programs provide holistic wraparound services and offer intensive case management to promote independence to aid safe and stable housing. Home Start’s housing offices are located in Central and East San Diego.
Central Programs
Transitional Housing
FYSB: FYSB is a transitional housing program that offers medium-term housing to single homeless pregnant/parenting Transitional Age Youth and their children. Participants must be between the ages of 18-21 with a maximum of two children. Participants can self-refer by contacting our intake email or dropping into one of our offices. Participants must contribute to a savings account and develop a housing exit plan.
Since the maximum length of stay is 18 months, participation in services is required.
Supportive services include case management, life skills, job search assistance, therapy, child development coaching, and school enrollment. FYSB offers participants support services that promote self-sufficiency and stability. Participants must abide by the Terms of Tenancy and contribute 30% of their income. Upon successful program exit, the participants who contribute to rent will receive a portion of their contribution to assist them with their transition. *
*This website is supported by Grant Number 90YZ0070-01-00 from the Family and Youth Services Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Family and Youth Services Bureau.
CalOES XH: The CalOES XH Transitional Housing Program provides medium-term housing to single mothers ages 18- 24. Participants must be experiencing homelessness and pregnant/parenting with up to two children. Participants must also be survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, or some other type of victimization.
Though not required, participation in services is highly encouraged to promote self-sufficiency like case management, life skills, therapy, and child development coaching. Participants must abide by the Terms of Tenancy and can stay up to 24 months. Participants work closely with their case managers to identify a safe and secure housing plan. Participants must contribute 30% of their income.
Traditional Housing Program+: The THP + program is for youth ages 18-23 who aged out of the foster care system. Youth can be single, pregnant, or parenting with up to two children. The County provides referrals, and participants can stay up to two years or until age 23.
Participants must engage in support services that promote self-sufficiency like work, school, life skills, and child development coaching. Participants must abide by the program's Terms of Tenancy and contribute 30% of their income. Regardless of the contribution amount, $50 monthly goes towards their emancipation check.
Upon successful program exit, participants are provided an emancipation check and offered the furniture bought by Home Start.
Permanent Supportive Housing
Home Start’s Permanent Supportive Housing provides long-term housing for single, pregnant, and/or parenting Transitional Age Youth, ages 18-24. All participants must complete the Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) and be referred through the Coordinated Entry System (CES).
Eligible participants must be currently experiencing homelessness and have up to two children.
Requirements for this program also include having a documented disability (e.g. anxiety depression, substance abuse, etc.).
Home Start offers wraparound services to encourage participation in activities that will promote self-sufficiency, such as case management, life skills, assistance with job search, and enrolling in school. Participants must abide by the Terms of Tenancy and contribute 30% of their income towards housing. Upon successful program exit, the participants who contribute to rent will receive a check with their savings to assist them in their transition.
Maternity Housing Program
Since 2009, Home Start has worked to provide affordable, supportive housing and individualized future planning to women who are pregnant or have small children and find themselves in unstable living environments. Our Maternity Housing Program offers these mothers a safe home and educational programs to give them the tools to become self-sufficient and develop healthy relationships with their children.
Home Start's Maternity Housing Program offers more than a roof over their heads. This is a 360º support system providing evidence-based parental education, Child Development Specialists, counseling, financial literacy training, higher education, and employment resources, and so much more. Our goal is to provide affordable, supportive housing and the services needed to build secure, loving, and self-sufficient families.
Housing: In the face of an affordable housing crisis across California, San Diego has one of the highest rates of unsheltered youth below the age of 25. With the rent of a studio apartment averaging $1,413, securing housing is difficult for all of us, especially trying for a single mother with childcare responsibilities.
Home Start currently offers more than twenty apartments which have saved over 265 families since they opened and we are working hard toward opening another five units in 2020.
Security: True security comes from our clients being able to provide a sustainable standard of living for their own families. Our Case Managers and facility staff create individualized plans to reach their goals and achieve independence. In addition, our social enterprises (the Home Start Thrift Boutique and Bright Futures Candles) offer on-the-job training opportunities within walking distance from each housing facility.
This program not only helps mothers who want to provide a better future for their families but creates a generation of young San Diegans who will grow up in secure and loving homes with a bright outlook.
East County Programs
Outreach
Street Outreach meets and engages individuals experiencing homelessness throughout East County. The outreach team connects individuals with resources and provides aid to those that need assistance in meeting basic needs. Services provided include transportation to shelter, housing referrals, hygiene items, food, and blankets. Connecting clients to stable housing and overarching goal.
El Cajon Outreach and Housing Navigation: El Cajon Outreach program provides street outreach and in-reach services to the unsheltered population in El Cajon. This includes a drop-in center for clients needing immediate assistance with resources and referrals. Services provided are job search/retention, housing location, and housing placement, financial assistance, and case management. Limited funds are available for emergency assistance, motel payments, housing placement assistance, and rental assistance.
Rapid Re-Housing
The purpose of Rapid Re-Housing is to quickly house individuals and/or families experiencing homelessness. Rapid Re-housing programs assist with housing location, rental assistance, and supportive services. Rental assistance uses a tapered-off system. The length of financial assistance is tailored to the participant's needs and the availability of funds.
Referrals are provided by the Coordinated Entry System of San Diego (CES) through The Regional Task Force on the Homeless. Access to CES is provided after completing the Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT).
SDHC- RRH TAY: Provides medium to long-term rental assistance to single mothers pregnant or parenting who are between the ages of 18-24. Program participants will be offered case management services as well as other support services available upon request.
CalOES XH - Rapid Re-Housing: RRH CalOES XH provides short-term rental assistance to single or parenting/pregnant Transitional Age Youth victims of crime. Referrals come from Home Start's transitional housing programs or other agencies in the community. The program helps with security deposits, move-in costs, and rent for up to 12 months. The program offers intensive case management, housing location, landlord negotiation/mediation, and housing stability skills.
RTFH - East County Rapid Re-Housing: Provides medium to long-term rental assistance to people experiencing homelessness in East County. This program targets individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. Program participants will be offered case management services as well as other support services available upon request.
YHDP Joint Project: The YHDP Joint Project offers transitional housing, Rapid Re-housing, intensive case management, and other self-sufficiency support services. Participants must be youth ages 18-24 years old experiencing homelessness. Due to the length of the program, staff work to engage participants in supportive services to encourage self-sufficiency upon exit. Transitional housing participants must contribute 30% of their income, while rapid re-housing clients are put on a titrated assistance program. YHDP transitional housing clients may transfer t short-term rapid re-housing depending on availability.
Cuyamaca College Rapid Re-Housing: College-focused Rapid Re-housing program serves Grossmont - Cuyamaca students at risk of homelessness/ already experiencing homeless. This program is a partnership between Home Start and Grossmont/Cuyamaca College to decrease student housing insecurity and increase stably housed student graduates. This program provides financial assistance for security deposits, move-in costs, and rent for up to 24 months or until graduation. Grossmont- Cuyamaca College staff refer students and provides coordinated case management. The program offers intensive case management, housing location, landlord negotiation/mediation, and housing stability skills. Bridge housing is also available for clients while they look for a unit. Housing navigation is available to students who require services but are ineligible for ongoing rental assistance.
Housing Our Youth (HOY) & Host Homes
Housing Our Youth (HOY): Provides housing in La Mesa (females only) and other housing services in East County for 18-24-year-olds with no gender requirements. Youth can stay for up to three months in the house and receive two years of case management during which they are connected with additional services and programs across a collaborative network of six agencies.
Host Homes: Provides temporary housing for 18-24 years old in community member's homes (AKA: Hosts). Hosts receive a small stipend to offset costs associated with additional residents in the home while participants receive intensive case management. External referrals are accepted for this program. Productive and employed/student are preferred. Learn more about Host Homes.
Domestic Violence Programs
To better meet the needs of San Diego’s domestic violence victims, Home Start offers direct services to DV survivors. The Domestic Violence Advocate and Housing Specialist work with referrals offering housing stability services, advocacy, and legal navigation. The DV Housing Specialist will help locate safe housing, accompany survivors to housing appointments, act as a liaison with landlords, and assist with negotiating leases. The DV advocate connects clients to resources, accompanies the client to court, and provides outreach and education to community stakeholders. This program offers three types of financial assistance to meet survivors' needs paired with intensive case management. Survivors will also be connected to public assistance programs, provided referrals, and offered employment and education linkage.
Home Start's Domestic Violence Programs exist to better meet the needs of San Diego’s domestic violence survivors as they seek safety and housing stability.
Survivors receive assistance at the level that is appropriate for their needs and can move up in assistance levels as needed and are provided with resources to connect them to public assistance and benefits programs such as CalFRESH, WIC, and employment services and training opportunities. A Domestic Violence Housing Specialist locates safe housing, accompanies survivors to housing appointments, acts as a liaison with landlords, and assists with negotiating leases. A Domestic Violence Advocate connects clients to resources and accompanies clients in court.
"I exited the foster system after ten years. I bounced around from home to home and eventually, I came into Home Start and they have been such a huge help for me. It's really important that they were here to help me be a better mom for my son."
-MHP Client
How You Can Help
It's so easy to help by donating much-needed supplies from our Amazon Wish Lists. Our families are always in need of diapers, bedding, bath supplies and other goods that make these apartments a home.
You can find our East County Homeless Outreach Wishlist Here.
For more information about the Maternity Housing Program, please contact: housing@home-start.org
**Home Start, Inc. collects and stores data in Regional Task Force on Homelesness's (RTFH) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and has adopted RTFH’s HMIS Policies and Procedures. To view related policies, including privacy practices, from RTFH and Home Start, Inc. please see the linked documents below.
HMIS-Policies-and-Procedures-Manual-Final-12312019