>> >>ALISON: WHEN SANDRA SAMUELS SEPARATED FROM HER EX, SHE FOUND HER LIFE UNRAVELING.
SHE LOST HER JOB AND ABOUT A YEAR AGO, FOUND HERSELF WITHOUT A HOME.
>> >>: I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE IN THIS SITUATION, BUT HERE I AM.
AND THE ECONOMY NOW IS REALLY BAD. >> >>ALISON: SAMUELS IS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE
ALSO FOR HER 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. >> >>: IF IT WAS JUST ME Y COULD HANDLE IT
A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR CHILD WITH YOU, YOU'RE WONDERING THAT AM I
BEING A GOOD MOTHER. >> >>ALISON: ANDREA'S IN HER FINAL YEAR AT
SCHOOL, BUT HASN'T TOLD ANY OF HER FRIENDS SHE'S STAYING IN A HOMELESS SHELTER.
>> >>: TO ME IT'S JUST REALLY HARD. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, SO I
JUST TRY TO KEEP IT TO MYSELF. IT'S JUST REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME BECAUSE
I JUSTÊ I'M SO USED TO HAVING MY OWN ROOM, AND WHAT I USED TO HAVE AND YOU KNOW ALWAYS
GOING OUT WHENEVER I WANTED TO WITH MY FRIENDS, NOT HAVING TO HAVE, LIKE A CURFEW TO GO BACK
TO A PLACE SO EARLY. BUT I JUST HAVE TO HANG IN THERE WITH MY MOM.
>> >>ALISON: THE WOMEN CAN SPEND TWO WEEKS STAYING IN THIS CHURCH HOME.
IT'S PART OF THE INTERFAITH SHELTER NETWORK. PASTOR JAMES JERPSETH SAYS THE CONGREGATION
BORROWED THE CUBICAL DIVIDERS FROM A NEARBY CHURCH.
>> >>: WE JUST POP THEM UP RK GET EVERYBODY SETTLED IN. IF YOUR NOT GOING TO DO THIS,
IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP, YOU'RE JUST A SOCIAL CLUB WITH A T ON
THE ROOF. >> >>ALISON: A MORE PERMANENT SHELTER FOR
FAMILIES IS GOING UP IN VISTA TO MEET THE GROWING NEED.
THIS CONSTRUCTION SITE IS THE SITE OF THE NEW NORTH COUNTY SHELTER FOR FAMILIES.
THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT NEED SHELTER IN THE WINTER HAS BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR.
>> >>: IT'S GOING TO BE VERY COMFORTABLE AND OUR FAMILIES WILL HAVE A ROOM WITH A CEILING
AND A DOOR AS OPPOSED TO A CUBICLE WITH NO CEILING AND A CURTAIN.
SO THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM, HELP RAISE THEIR CELL SELF ESTEEM AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT
OF DIGNITY AS THEY GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER. >> >>: FOR THE PAST FEW YEARSÊ THAT WILL
ALL CHANGE. >> >>: THIS WILL WE A CHILDREN'S PLAY GROUND,
THIS WILL BE WALLED IN RIGHT HERE, WITH A WALL IN FRONT SO IT WILL BE AN ENCLOSED COMPOUND
FOR PRIVACY FOR THE WOMEN AND SAFETY FOR THE CHILDREN.
>> >>ALISON: BETH BRAINERD WILL HELP RUN THE SHELTER WHEN IT OPENS.
>> >>: ONCE YOU COME INTO THE GATE AND YOU'RE BEHIND THE WALLS YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE, YOU
KNOW THEY'RE IN A SAFE COMPOUND, A SAFE CAMPUS, AND THAT LESS STRESS ALLOWS YOU TO PUT YOUR
FOCUS ON TAKING CLASSES, AND DOING YOUR RESUME AND LOOKING FOR A JOB AND TURNING YOUR LIFE
AROUND SO THAT YOUR CHILDREN CAN FEEL SAFE AND SECURE.
BECAUSE THE CHILDREN, IF THEY'RE WOUNDED WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG, THEY'RE GOING TO REPEAT THAT
CYCLE WHEN THEY'RE OLDER AND WE NEED TO STOP THAT.
>> >>ALISON: THIS SITE WON'T OPEN UNTIL JANUARY FIRST.
>> >>: WE DO NEED MORE FAMILY SHELTERS. >> >>ALISON: IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE
TO FIND PLACES FOR FAMILIES TO STAY UNTIL JANUARY SAYS JENNIFER WHO WORKS FOR THE COMMUNITY
RESOURCE CENTER IN ENCINITAS. EVEN IN THAT RELATIVELY AFFLUENT COMMUNITY
THEY GET THREE TO FIVE CALLS A DAY FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SHELTER.
>> >>: WHEN IT GETS COLDER, ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS GET MORE PHONE CALLS, BUT THE RESOURCES WE
DON'T HAVE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE THOSE FAMILIES.
HAVING OPERATION HOPE, HAVING THAT NOT OPEN UNTIL JANUARY IS GOING TO BE REALLY HARD ON
A BUNCH OF FAMILIES THIS YEAR. >> >>ALISON: FAMILIES CAN APPLY FOR HOTEL
VOUCHERS FROM NORTH COUNTY LIFELINE. THEY HAVE TWICE AS MUCH MONEY FOR VOUCHERS
THIS YEAR AS LAST, BUT ALREADY ALMOST 90 FAMILIES HAVE APPLYD FOR THEM AND DEMAND HAS OUT STRETCHED
SUPPLY SANDRA AND ANDREA SAMUELS FACE WEEKS MOVING FROM SHELTER TO SHELTER.
>> >>: OF COURSE YOU WORRY, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG AND GO ON, YOU'RE TRYING
TO TELL YOUR CHILD IT'S GOINGÊ THINGS ARE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT, YOUR MAMA'S GONNA GET
A JOB. I'M PROUD OF HER BECAUSE DESPITE US MOVING
FROM PLACE TO PLACE, SHE'S STILL KEEPING UP HER GRADES.
AND SHE STILL IS GOING TO GRADUATE. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE HOMELESS, HONESTLY,
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE OUT HERE. I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT I KNOW I'VE SPOKE
WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE REAL GOOD JOBS
AND THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT DOWN HERE. SO IT CAN HAP TOON ANYBODY.
>> >>ALISON: ALISON ST. JOHN KPBS NEWS.