Lake Elsinore Homeless Housing Project Near Completion

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — The City of Lake Elsinore is just a few weeks away from opening a former downtown motel that's been converted into a homeless shelter that will someday serve as permanent, extremely low-income housing.

The former 19-room motel situated on .82 acres at 215 W. Graham Avenue — newly renamed The Anchor — is scheduled to begin welcoming homeless residents on Dec. 30. The facility will be used to immediately address Lake Elsinore homelessness but will later be transformed into permanent housing, the city said.

The property will provide 14 housing units that can shelter up to 28 people, according to the city.

In addition to the housing units, the city is partnering with the Social Work Action Group to provide full-time social service support at the property, according to the city.

“In Lake Elsinore our approach, ‘One Team, One Dream,’ is a community-based effort supported by law enforcement and city leaders that empowers the community to work together to truly make a difference using truth and grace,” said Social Work Action Group’s Executive Director Monica Sapien.

The city received $3.1 million in funding for The Anchor project in September when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the award as part of the state's $600 million Project Homekey program, which incentivizes local jurisdictions to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings and other properties for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

The W. Graham Avenue property was purchased for $2,250,000 by the city, not including closing costs, according to city documents.

“The state’s gracious award of Homekey funds is the latest in a series of blessings that is going to allow us to further our efforts, together, and end chronic homelessness in Lake Elsinore," Sapien said.