YMCA Youth & Family Services (YFS) introduces its newest housing facility for runaway and homeless youth in North County. Located in Oceanside, the YMCA Transition Age Youth (TAY) Bridge Housing provides 4 beds for young adults, ages 18-24, receiving supportive services that help them transition to independence. The bridge housing model provides supportive services and 6 months of short-term housing for youth, providing a safe alternative to living on the street or in other dangerous situations until youth can find a more stable housing option.
The program has its roots in the former Mary’s House program, previously designed to assist and support young women between the ages of 18-24 as they transition to adulthood from the foster care system. The YMCA started Mary’s House in partnership with a local non-profit, and for over 10 years, we offered young women supportive services and a safe shelter in a beautiful house in Escondido. When the house’s owners sold the property in 2016, our residents were transferred to an Oceanside property, made possible through a partnership with the City of Oceanside. Over the past few years, we’ve grown our housing options to include scattered sites throughout North County, dorms at Cal State San Marcos, and the TAY Bridge Housing program in our Oceanside house.
With this new structure, the YMCA has grown its reach from 6 beds to approximately 50 beds in North County San Diego. Evolving the program into its current state allows YFS to manifest the growth it has achieved since Mary’s House first began and better respond to the changing needs of San Diego’s youth experiencing homelessness. We serve over 50 young people in the North County at any given time through a continuum of housing options that best fit their needs; from short-term stabilization to longer term transitional housing. Check out the photos below for the before look at the house and take a virtual tour here to see the end results:
The program welcomes support from other community members interested in investing in the future of our youth. Please contact Jason Vicente or call us at (760) 721-8930 to learn more about how you can help end youth homelessness.