Improved facilities provide onsite services and care
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) recently completed an extensive renovation project with El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO). The construction management partnership has provided much-needed updates to the internal facilities of the Atascadero shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
“We are always thrilled to find new opportunities to collaborate and support our fellow housing and homeless services provider partners,” said Todd Broussard, PSHH Director of Construction, “Our long-standing relationship with ECHO helped facilitate a smooth, seamless completion of the project, which will provide much-improved accommodations for the individuals and families staying at the shelter.”
ECHO hired the PSHH construction team to act as the project manager to support and manage the renovation project. Through this partnership and in collaboration with Precision Construction Services, ECHO was able to repaint the property, build new room partitions, install updated lighting fixtures and ductwork, complete ADA upgrades, and much more. PSHH was also able to facilitate and navigate the unique project requirements and help process permits through the city. This project was made possible and funded by the State of California’s Homeless Emergency Aid Program, administered through the County of San Luis Obispo.
Work on the facility at 6370 Atascadero Ave. transformed what was a single, large room with living spaces separated by flimsy curtains into more private living quarters for seven families, plus a common area with a television and other amenities. Institutional finishes were upgraded to feel more homelike, and permanent drywall partitions, with independently controlled lighting, give families a space that will feel more like their own.
A second phase of the project renovated four existing family rooms, a laundry room, and staircase and brought two bathrooms up to current ADA standards. Both phases were completed within three months to allow residents to quickly move from temporary housing trailers outside ECHO’s facility.
“We are grateful for the organizations that came alongside us to make this project possible. Through collaboration and partnership, more is accomplished, and our renovations prove that,” said Wendy Lewis, President & CEO of ECHO, “The renovations now give ECHO the ability to provide an even better and empowering environment which will serve the unhoused community for years to come.”
ECHO currently operates three facilities in North County that provide meals and a safe and secure overnight shelter to meet the immediate needs of families and individuals in our community who are facing hunger and homelessness. PSHH and ECHO have a history of collaboration with their mutual participation in the Paso Robles’ Project Homekey program, which provides supportive, safe temporary shelter as well as permanent supportive housing for those formerly experiencing homelessness.
To learn more about PSHH, their third-party contracting services, and other ongoing projects, visit pshhc.org.
About People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH)
Founded in 1970, PSHH is the longest-serving nonprofit affordable housing organization on the Central Coast. With a mission of building homes and providing services to strengthen communities and change lives, PSHH serves low-income households, working families, seniors, veterans, farmworkers, those living with disabilities and the formerly homeless. It also provides homeownership opportunities through a self-help, “sweat equity” program that has seen over 1,200 homes successfully completed. PSHH has a presence in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Monterey counties, manages over 2,000 rental units, and employs over 200 staff members. PSHH acknowledges the indigenous people of the territories that our organization occupies, including the Chumash, Salinan, Yokuts, Kitanemuk, and Tataviam people. To read the full land acknowledgement, visit pshhc.org/IDEA. For more information about the organization, visit pshhc.org, email info@pshhc.org or phone (805) 781-3088.
About El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO)
ECHO’s mission since 2001 is to empower people in SLO County to make positive change by providing food, shelter, and supportive services. ECHO operates three facilities in North County that each provide meals and a safe and secure overnight shelter to meet the immediate needs of families and individuals in our community who are facing hunger and homelessness. Residents are provided individual case management services to assist them in securing a job and finding permanent and sustainable housing. While staying at ECHO, residents are taught life skills for employment, financial literacy, health care management and parenting. A force of 1,500 community volunteers provide ancillary support to run the shelter programs and meal programs that serve as many as 150 dinners each night to shelter residents and people facing hunger and homelessness in the community.
About Precision Construction Services
Precision Construction Services is a progressive commercial construction company based in San Luis Obispo, California, serving clients locally and across the country. Our work encompasses consulting, general contracting, design-build, and construction management, and our clients range from headline-making private aerospace firms and real estate developers, to federal, state, and local government agencies. On the Central Coast, we have built rocket launch pads at Vandenberg Space Force Base; the 880-acre Pismo Preserve conservation area and public trail system, including the visitor center and ADA-accessible trails; and the Pad Climbing gym, the region’s premier indoor climbing and fitness center. Beyond the Central Coast, Precision’s portfolio includes the world’s first hyperloop tunnel, support facilities at the Brownsville Launch Complex in Texas, and numerous historical restorations, such as the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park and the Philadelphia Public Services Building. Founded in 2013, Precision is owned by three longtime residents of the Central Coast who are passionate about the community and actively support it through charitable contributions, employee volunteerism, and donated construction services.
