Rebele Family Shelter Celebrates 20 Years of Helping Families in Santa Cruz

Housing Matters is celebrating 20 years of providing safe shelter and supportive services to families experiencing homelessness through the Rebele Family Shelter. Since opening in 2005, the shelter has offered a refuge for families in crisis and a pathway toward long-term stability.

The Rebele Family Shelter, named for Rowland and Pat Rebele, was made possible by a group of compassionate community members who envisioned a safe and supportive environment for families with children. Located at the corner of Highways 1 and 9 in Santa Cruz, the shelter has become a community resource for families facing homelessness.

Operated by Housing Matters, the shelter offers apartment-style units with private bathrooms and showers, giving residents dignity and comfort during a difficult chapter in their lives. At any given time, up to 100 people call the shelter home. It is one of the region’s only low-barrier family shelters, allowing families to access help without needing to meet restrictive requirements.

“Stable, safe housing is the foundation for everything else — health, education and opportunity,” said Phil Kramer, CEO of Housing Matters. “For 20 years, RFS has been a lifeline for families with children in Santa Cruz County. At Housing Matters, we are committed to creating pathways out of homelessness through interim shelter and supportive housing, ensuring families not only find immediate safety but also have the tools and resources to build lasting stability.”

During their stay, families work with case managers to develop a plan for permanent housing. Residents receive three meals a day, access to welcoming common areas, and a community play area designed for children. The average length of stay is about six months, during which families are supported in overcoming barriers to stable housing.

Since 2005, more than 675 families have received shelter and critical support services through the Rebele Family Shelter, helping parents and children build brighter futures.

The shelter was funded through state grants, the Kresge Foundation, and local donors, including Rowland and Pat Rebele, Jack and Peggy Baskin, Dick and Mary Solari, Ow Family Properties, Maynard Manson, and Miles and Roseanne Reiter.

“My parents would be very, very proud of the fact that it’s still standing, still being used,” said Chris Rebele, son of Rowland and Pat Rebele. “We really need to focus on shelter, and that’s what Housing Matters is doing.”

Housing Matters partners with individuals and families to create pathways out of homelessness into permanent housing. In addition to interim shelter and supportive housing, the organization provides case management and housing navigation services. Its campus also hosts the county-operated Homeless Persons Health Project and Dientes, a nonprofit dental clinic, making health and dental services accessible to residents and the broader community.

Since its founding, Housing Matters has helped hundreds of families and individuals find stability, secure housing, and access essential services in Santa Cruz County. For more information, visit www.housingmatterssc.org or connect on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.