A vacant building in downtown San Diego is now a place to call home for young adults experiencing homelessness. HarborTAY House officially opened Thursday, offering a safe place for people ages 18 to 24. The former affordable motel on Pacific Coast Highway has been transformed into a facility wi th 34 rooms and 54 beds for youth caught in a generation gap of homelessness. It offers them stability and independence. Nineteen-year-old Robert, who asked that his last name not be used, moved into HarborTAY last week after spending years on the streets across the county with his mother. He was later put in foster care. “You know the Julian Pie company? My mom worked there, and I slept in the car with my dog. It was always so cold,” Robert said. Ollie (standing at the podium) talked about her life being unhoused, during a news conference, Thursday, at the HaborTAY House, July 23, 2026. HarborTAY was created through a collaboration between Urban Street Angels, the Lucky Duck Foundation, the David C. Copley Foundation and the County of San Diego. The organizations renovated the motel to address the needs of young adults who find themselves having to survive alone. Urban Street Angels estimates that on any given night, as many as 1,500 homeless youth are on the streets across the city and county of San Diego. Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation, said the new renovated building offers more than just a place to sleep. “It’s stability. It’s opportunity. It’s really the starting line of a journey to prosperity for many young people,” Moser said. Eric Lovett-Maerz, founder of Urban Street Angels, said many of the young people served by the organization have experienced significant trauma. “If you’ve been cast out, you’ve been abused or betrayed by those you thought loved you. You can imagine what that does to you,” he said. Many HarborTAY residents have aged out of the foster care system but are not yet eligible for adult community services, leaving them with few housing options. During a Thursday news conference, a young resident named Ollie said their life has been changed significantly. “I wake up every day knowing that I’m going to be safe in a place where nothing is going to harm me. I know that makes me want to move forward,” Ollie said. This is one of the rooms in the new HaborTAY House for young people 18-24 in need of a home, July 23, 2026. Residents can stay at HarborTAY for up to one year as they transition from homelessness to permanent housing, and start their education or a job career. They are offered basic needs and community resources. “I’m just hoping I’m putting out more good karma, and good karma will come back to me,” Robert said. The HarborTAY House has already filled about half of its available beds. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less