Vista highlights Buena Creek Navigation Center success, buys building for youth housing and opens senior village

Mayor John Franklin said Vista’s Buena Creek Navigation Center and new outreach partnerships helped more than 100 people move off the streets and that 48 residents now live at the center.

The Buena Creek Navigation Center, operated by the nonprofit Retread and shared with Encinitas, “provides critical resources and support to help individuals transition out of homelessness,” Franklin said during the 2025 State of the City address. Franklin described the center as a place that has moved residents into housing and offered a brief testimonial from a resident who described how Retread helped him get a bed and stabilizing services.

Why it matters: The mayor said the center is a cornerstone of Vista’s homelessness response and framed the work as a mix of housing, case management and outreach. He also announced two housing developments aimed at specific populations: the Santa Fe Senior Village, a 53‑unit project for residents 62 and older that will include two units reserved for unhoused senior veterans, and a city purchase of a former memory‑care facility that the city will reconfigure as housing for transition‑age youth aged 18–24.

Franklin said the Santa Fe Senior Village was developed by National Core and the San Diego Community Housing Corporation and will offer fully furnished studio and one‑bedroom apartments for seniors. He described the city’s purchase of the former memory‑care building and said it will be converted to serve transition‑age youth with case management, education and job training supports; Franklin said the facility is scheduled to open in late spring 2025.

The mayor also announced a new partnership with the San Diego Rescue Mission as Vista’s homeless outreach service provider. Franklin said the Rescue Mission will help residents obtain permanent housing, refer people to shelters and behavioral‑health services, assist with employment and documentation, and operate a hotline for immediate assistance. He said the Rescue Mission will coordinate with the Vista cops unit, the County Health and Human Services Agency and other local providers.

Quotes and on‑the‑ground detail: During a brief onstage exchange, a resident who identified himself as a Vietnam‑era veteran described how Retread staff worked to find him a bed and welcomed him with his dog. Franklin said, “If they can’t bring their family with them, they’re not gonna go,” referring to efforts to allow pets in shelter settings.

Clarifying details: The mayor said the navigation center has helped more than 100 people off the streets and that 48 residents currently call the center home. The Santa Fe Senior Village will include 53 furnished studio and one‑bedroom units; two units are designated for unhoused senior veterans through a Veterans Affairs supportive‑housing program (as described in the speech). The city intends to open the youth facility in late spring 2025.

What’s next: The mayor framed the announcements as part of an ongoing strategy that combines housing supply, nonprofit partners and case management to move people into stable housing; he said the city will continue coordinating referrals, supportive services and outreach through the San Diego Rescue Mission and Retread.