WeHOPE Takes Over Operations of Homeless Shelter Coast House in Half Moon Bay
Alicia Garcia, Chief Operating Officer (middle) speaks to residents of Coast House in Half Moon Bay as Chelsy Josepher, Program Director (left), and Cheryl Bains, Founder & HR Director look on.
East Palo Alto, CA (July 2, 2024) - We are thrilled to announce that WeHOPE has taken over operations of the Coast House in Half Moon Bay starting July 1, 2024.
Established in 2020 by the county of San Mateo as a homeless shelter, the Coast House has been instrumental in providing safe temporary living accommodations and on-site support services to assist people experiencing homelessness.
"We are excited and honored to continue the work started at the Coast House," said Pastor Paul Bains, founder of WeHOPE. "Every individual deserves a safe place to call home, and we are committed to making this a reality for the homeless community in Half Moon Bay."
Guided by Alicia Garcia, WeHOPE's Chief Operating Officer, the team is ready to provide 24/7 service at the Coast House. "Our dedicated team has been working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition and we are eager to get started," Garcia explained. "The vision of WeHOPE is to not just provide a temporary solution, but to help our guests find and move into permanent housing, and while they’re with us to provide the most comprehensive case management services."
The county's long-term goal is to convert the site into affordable housing. The county has set an annual performance measure for WeHOPE that 60% of adults would transition to permanent housing, while 80% of families would exit the program to enter permanent housing.
"We are ready to serve and support our community," said Garcia. "With an average stay for program participants of 120 days or less, we are focused on making a tangible difference in the lives of the residents at the Coast House."
WeHOPE's contract will run for three years until 2027, promising to provide much-needed assistance to the unsheltered individuals living in the Half Moon Bay area.
“Training at Coast House has begun exceptionally well, with both staff and clients expressing excitement for the future,” said Garcia. The training sessions included extensive team-building activities and direct instruction. WeHOPE also launched its HOPE Jobs initiative, employing clients from the EPA shelter to prepare and package food for Coast House.
Additionally, WeHOPE will hire Coast House clients to assist with food services. According to Garcia, residents can look forward to several new changes with WeHOPE's arrival, including a new on-site laundry room, the introduction of hot lunch and dinner service, case management available seven days a week, and 24-hour security.
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About WeHOPE:
WeHOPE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the unhoused in the Bay Area with a mission to help individuals become healthy, employed, and housed using innovative solutions. We provide a range of services, including emergency shelter, mobile hygiene, job training, life skills training, RV Safe Parking, comprehensive case management, foodbank, and housing assistance. We provide services at a 73-bed emergency shelter in East Palo Alto, a 100-room transitional shelter called The Monarch Site in San Francisco, and a 52-bed transitional shelter in Half Moon Bay called Coast House.
