EL CAJON, Calif. — Coming off the heels of the last homelessness town hall in El Cajon, a local transitional living center is trying to get the word out that it has beds ready and available.
East County Transitional Living Center off East Main Street says it is struggling to fill them.
Right now, ECTLC has 80 beds available across its campuses for single adults and families.
They say if you are homeless, there’s a bed for you at ECTLC.
East County Transitional Living Center wants to get the homeless off the streets and into these open beds.
“First, we’re going to get you off the street,” Ivan Andujar said. “Get you sober. Put a roof over your head and give you everything that you need.”
But it’s been a struggle finding takers. Some homeless refuse to come here because of its rules; you must stop drug or alcohol abuse and you can’t be a sex offender or people with felony warrants to be in this program.
“The individuals have to make that change. We get to watch these miracles happen, but the hard part is done by the individuals coming through the door,” Andujar said.
Individuals like Regina Soliz who has overdosed 27 times before getting clean.
“I got pregnant at 19 and I had my son and after I had my son, I started getting into drugs and I gave my son to my dad and I decided to go and be on the street and I tried rehab a couple times, but it wasn’t until I got here that I realized I needed God to change my life and that’s where I found him, I found him here,” homeless client Regina Soliz said.
But one homeless woman who wouldn’t go on camera told us that’s why she refuses to go to ECTLC.
“Well they are a cult-based program,” said the homeless woman who wouldn’t give her name. “They’re based on religious views I don’t believe in. I rather be on the streets alone.”
The CEO says it is not a cult but founded on faith. He knows the rules may keep some homeless away. But for people like Regina, it took her a while to adjust to sobriety and new way of life. But now she is set to graduate in December.
“Thank you for giving me a shot and also giving me a second and a third chance,” Soliz said. “This is my third time here. They don’t give up on you.”
ECTLC has three other campuses in El Cajon, Delzura and another undisclosed women’s facility. It has 430 beds for the homeless across its total campuses.
