SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – In a letter to the state on Friday, the City of San Diego said it was floating the idea of using the abandoned Camp Barrett as a housing site for migrants while they await their asylum hearing in the United States.
Some Alpine residents said they welcome the proposal by the city to turn the former juvenile detention facility into a migrant shelter.
Currently, after federal officials process migrants at the border, they are released into the San Diego region as they await their asylum court hearings. Many of the migrants have nowhere to go, but many of them stay in an overcrowded shelter slated to shut down.
That shelter could potentially be relocated to Alpine – taking over the site of a former juvenile detention center.
For decades, Camp Barrett in Alpine served as a detention facility for teenaged boys. The facility is located on property owned by the City of San Diego but was shut down last year.
Some Alpine residents told News 8 they welcome the proposal. “I don’t think it is a bad idea as long as there is peace and equality,” said one resident.
The current shelter for migrants in San Diego is run by a non-profit and is set to shut down by February 4th. The shelter is consistently overcrowded and operates through volunteers – it was never intended as a long-term solution.
Camp Barrett, which had formerly housed up to 125 boys with tis dorms, living space and kitchen faculties, could offer a more viable alternative. However, upgrades may need to be made first before it is ready to welcome families.
A grand jury report in 2017, found Camp Barret as “unsuitable, deteriorating and aging.” It called the facility’s conditions of the dorms and other rooms as “sub-standard.” It also pointed out that it offers “a common restroom area” with no doors for privacy.”
Alpine resident Sokla Sem said that even with potential challenges, it could be a positive step. “Let’s put it back in use – good use.”
The site itself would still have to be properly assessed and if chosen, adaptations would potentially need to be made.
It would also have to be decided as to who would operate the facility. According to the city, the San Diego-based non-profit Alliance Healthcare Foundation has agreed to fund the facility if it gets the green light.
