Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Hundreds of San Diego’s homeless were forced to evacuate a downtown shelter on Thursday, December 6, 2018 after heavy rains caused a flash flood.

City crews worked with local police, fire fighters and lifeguards to safety evacuate the shelter.

A temporary shelter was established at the SDCCU Stadium where Family Health Centers of San Diego stepped in to provide much needed medications. Many of those staying at the shelter feared their medications were washed away in the flood waters. Several people were cited by the San Diego Union Tribune as seeing personal items like backpacks, clothing and medication floating in the flood water.

Additionally, the American Red Cross provided cots and blankets, the Lucky Duck Foundation contributed clothing, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office donated blankets, Feeding San Diego brought food, and the San Diego Humane Society attended to pets that were also staying at the shelter.

It is unclear when the Alpha Project, the organization who operates the shelter, anticipates the facility to reopen.

About Family Health Centers of San Diego

For more than four decades, Family Health Centers of San Diego’s (FHCSD) mission has been to provide affordable, high-quality health care and support services to all people, with a special commitment to the uninsured, low-income and medically underserved. Annually, our staff provides care to more than 190,000 unique patients—a third of our region’s low-income patients—through more than 800,000 encounters. For more information, visit www.fhcsd.org.