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City of Vista, Urban Street Angels & Lucky Duck Foundation Unite to Launch

Introducing the Lucky Duck Foundation advisory committee

The “VisTAY House,” opened in August of 2025, will provide 16 beds and wraparound services to help transition-age youth – homeless and vulnerable youth ages 18-24, including those exiting the foster care system – stabilize, heal, and achieve self-sufficiency.

Joseph, VisTAY House resident

The City of Vista purchased the 12-bedroom residential property, marking the city’s first youth-focused transitional housing investment. Urban Street Angels, a leading nonprofit service provider for homeless youth, was selected by Vista to operate the home, and the Lucky Duck Foundation is providing start-up funding to activate the project. With an average stay of 6–8 months, VisTAY is expected to serve 30 or more youth per year.

“This project is about more than just shelter—it’s about hope, empowerment, and a path forward,” said City of Vista Mayor John Franklin. “We’re proud to work with Urban Street Angels and the Lucky Duck Foundation to create a place where young people can find stability and pursue their full potential and most importantly avoid homelessness altogether.”

VisTAY is Urban Street Angels’ first North County facility, filling a major gap in services for unsheltered youth in the region. It will provide housing, food, basic necessities, wraparound case management, peer support, and career development through Urban Street Angels’ trade school program. 

“We believe in the resilience of youth and seek to provide them safety and hope every day,” said Eric Lovett-Maerz, Founder and CEO of Urban Street Angels. “VisTAY will be a safe-haven first and foremost, and secondarily a launching pad for healing, growth, and independence. It’s a long-term solution, not a temporary fix.” 

Joseph, VisTAY House resident: “I’m just really grateful for the opportunity. This will really help me overcome a lot of things going on in my life, with my situation and my family being homeless. I appreciate the opportunity to better myself and continue going to college and continue working.”

Joshua, VisTAY House resident

While long-term public funding is anticipated to begin in late 2025 or early 2026 thanks to ongoing financial support from the County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Services Department, the Lucky Duck Foundation has committed $250,000 to make the transitional housing available and operational as quickly as possible. 

“This initiative brings life-changing opportunities to youth facing homelessness,” said Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation. “Given that approximately half of the chronically homeless population suffered from homelessness as a youth, we see this as both an immediate and long-term strategy. We are honored to support this great public-private partnership and help a meaningful number of youth put homelessness behind them once and for all.” 

Joshua, VisTAY House resident: “It’s really just stable housing and a place to come back to. I’m hoping to make some friends here… I’m just really happy to be here.”

In The News

The city of Vista unveils VisTAY House to provide support for homeless youth
North County’s first shelter for homeless young adults opens in Vista
Youth-focused homeless shelter opens in Vista
See more of our efforts to alleviate youth homelessness

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The Lucky Duck Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 20-3324885

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Ben Schuster

LDF Board Member and leader of the LDF advisory committee
 
Head of Capital Formation & Investor Relations, Comfort Capital
 
“Having personally faced childhood homelessness, my connection to the Lucky Duck Foundation’s mission is deeply emotional. I’m honored to support this organization, driven by its proactive approach to addressing homelessness in the San Diego community. Believing in the power of luck and considering myself extremely fortunate, I eagerly accepted the invitation to join the Board. I’m dedicated to passing on that luck, just as so many individuals have done for me, and making a meaningful difference in our community.”

Candace Barrett

Recovery Coordinator, We See You San Diego
 
“I was a drug addict for 25 years with the last 6 years being homeless here in San Diego. I lived in the bushes of the riverbed, the drain tunnels at Hazard Center, underground caves along railroad tracks, cardboard boxes under bridges, and squatted in vacant properties. I have been incarcerated more than 20 times (close to 30).
 
On May 26, 2020, my life was dramatically and forever transformed by We See You San Diego. I now have full-time employment with this organization as their Recovery Coordinator and am part of the street outreach team. I have a beautiful condo with my husband of 24 years (who also walks in victory over chronic homelessness and drug addiction) in Rancho Bernardo—with NO GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. I have regained a driver’s license and just recently graduated Bible College and am currently enrolling at City College for Drug Counseling.”

Derek Bing

Cafe/Print Associate, Union of Pan Asian Communities (UPAC) and Timmy’s Place
 
“My name is Derek Bing and I am a youth who has experienced homelessness for three and a half years since 2019. Since then I have been striving to better myself and to help encourage those who have had similar experiences in the past and current day. I’m happy to share my experience with any and all who want to hear from me and those who experienced the same.”

John Conroy

Homeless Advocate, Serving Seniors
 
“Hello, my name is John Conroy. I experienced homelessness for a year, but I am no longer homeless. I am now an advocate for homelessness with Serving Seniors. Additionally, I volunteer as a musician, playing the piano at Sharp Coronado Hospital, the Serving Seniors Japanese Village Center, churches, and private donors’ homes.”

Joseph Rubio

Program Manager, Work for Hope, McAlister Institute
 
“My name is Joseph Rubio, today I am a program manager for a program called McAlister Work for Hope which addresses the homeless and mental health population by helping people get off of drugs, addressing their mental health and giving them the skills to go back into the workforce and housing. The program is mainly funded by the Lucky Duck Foundation and the city of Chula Vista as well as several other entities. Prior to where I am today, I had a very rough childhood and spent over 35 years in prison on the life installment plan. When I wasn’t in prison, I was homeless, on drugs as well as living with a mental health diagnosis. I am grateful for where I am today, and I would not change where life took me through to get to this point.”

Makayla Scott

Peer Mentor, Promises2Kids
 
“As an African American first-generation college graduate, I recently earned my Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning Management and Design. Despite facing the challenges of homelessness and balancing motherhood, I have persevered and am committed to using my experiences to advocate for better urban planning and support for vulnerable communities.”

Arturo “Turo" Tomas

Outreach Coordinator, Youth Assistance Coalition
 
“My name is Turo and I use my lived experience with homelessness to coordinate outreach for the youth assistance coalition. I’m a graphic designer, student pilot, and an avid birdwatcher.”

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