The shelter opened in early March as a safe waypoint for families (mostly mothers with young children) seeking asylum in the United States and released into the community by federal immigration officials. The U.S. government has granted them permission to stay in the country until their immigration hearing in other parts of the country. The Board of Supervisors, at the urging of Cox and Fletcher, approved a lease with Jewish Family Service to operate the shelter – as part of the San Diego Rapid Response Network – until the end of 2019.

Press coverage regarding the announcement:
MSN News  |  AM 760 KFMB  |  The CW San Diego  |  ABC 10 News  |  Voice of San Diego  |  KQED  |  KPBS  |  San Diego Union-Tribune  |  Times of San Diego  |  KUSI  |  CBS 8  |  Fox 5 San Diego  |  NBC San Diego  |  Univision San Diego  |  Telemundo 20  |  Courthouse News