Overview

• The Rachel’s Promise Center for Women and Children will open next week with 50 beds at 733 Eighth Avenue in downtown San Diego, replacing a smaller 40-bed shelter set to close in June.
• The facility is expected to expand to its full 210-bed capacity by Thanksgiving, with 109 beds for single women and 101 for women with children.
• The project was unanimously approved by the San Diego Housing Commission in February and is funded by $1.6 million in initial city funding, with an annual operational budget of $5.3 million.
• Catholic Charities, Diocese of San Diego, will operate the shelter, providing services such as meals, healthcare access, and assistance with public benefits.
• City data highlights a sharp rise in female homelessness, with women and girls comprising over 42% of participants in city-funded programs in 2024, up from 29.1% in 2020.