St. Vincent de Paul Village, San Diego

The St Vincent de Paul Village offers a comprehensive solution to homeless people of San Diego, California. It provides quality accommodation, access to centralised services and an atmosphere that enables them to control their own lives, so that ultimately they can return to mainstream society with self-assurance and dignity. Energy efficient and smart IT solutions are incorporated in the high quality and attractive building design. Community involvement and volunteering are seen as crucial to the project’s success, with professionals providing medical, dental, educational and financial services and local community organisations providing a range of support services to the paid staff. A broad range of financial support has been established, incorporating government funds, local fundraising and corporate support. The project continues to grow and has been replicated elsewhere in the USA.