SAN DIEGO — Every major election in San Diego, we see downtown's Golden Hall transform into election headquarters. Just footsteps away on the second floor is a homeless shelter.
Some are concerned about what will happen to the homeless families living there come election night on March 3.
"Most individuals don't even know that it's here, so they will walk by and probably not even know that there are over 200 families and children up there working toward a better life,” said Ashley Bailey, Senior Press Secretary for Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s office.
Bailey said the individuals living in Golden Hall have separate entrances. Additionally, they have security, meals, and showers.
“It's just like any other shelter, but we've used this space in a, I guess, creative way,” she said.
Bunk beds were rolled in late last year as part of the city's four bridge-shelter programs operated by Father Joe's Villages.
"Those rooms used to be large meeting rooms, where the city or other people might rent out to have a conference or some larger meeting,” Bailey said.
The make-shift shelter comes in response to San Diego’s 2017 Hepatitis A outbreak that called for emergency housing for the homelessness crisis. As for the future longevity of the program, Bailey said with adequate funding, "these shelters, for right now, are staying and we're always looking for how can we expand them."