After years of homelessness, Teresa Massie and her dog are looking forward to spending the holidays in a warm apartment.
Recently, Massie held her dog, Cyndi Marie Lauper, while ringing a bell at the Victorville Wellness Center, signifying her graduation from homelessness to permanent housing.
Massie’s celebration was especially significant because she is the 200th graduate of the Wellness Center, city officials stated.
Opened in December 2022, Wellness Center is a non-congregate, navigation center that helps homeless individuals and families gain stability through interim housing, wraparound support services, healthcare and recuperative care offered on-site.
Homeless struggles
Massie, who had struggled with homelessness for many years, entered the Wellness Center nearly 10 months ago when she learned that Cyndi could live with her in a private room rather than be kenneled separately, as is the norm at most homeless shelters, city officials said.
At the center, Massie received medical treatment for a behavioral health disorder that contributed to her homelessness, according to the city.
“She was paired with a case manager from Symba, the city’s operator of the Victorville Wellness Center, who arranged for her personal care, support services, and training to help her gain stability and plan her transition to permanent housing,” city leaders explained.
Support services offered at the Victorville Wellness Center include mental health counseling, substance-use-disorder treatment, job readiness training, financial literacy workshops, legal aid and housing navigation support.
The most unique aspect of the Wellness Center is that healthcare and recuperative care are offered on-site in the Symba-operated medical clinic, according to the city.
Thriving and inspiring
Massie attributes the supportive services she received while at the Wellness Center for her turnaround. She established a dog walking group to help other residents of the center socialize and gain support, according to city officials.
Massie is now looking forward to living with Cyndi in their own apartment.
“Teresa’s journey to permanent housing is inspiring, and we are excited to celebrate her as the 200th graduate of the Victorville Wellness Center,” Victorville Mayor Liz Becerra said. “We are emboldened to see our strategy for reduced homelessness in Victorville is having such a positive impact in just two years of Wellness Center operations.”
Decrease in homelessness
Since the city of Victorville opened its Wellness Center in December 2023, the homeless count in Victorville has dropped to the lowest point it’s been in five years.
In just one year, the number of unsheltered individuals in Victorville dropped by 57% and overall homelessness dropped 27% as documented in the 2025 Point in Time Count published by the County of San Bernardino.
“Reaching 200 graduates is a powerful reminder that recovery and stability are truly possible when a community comes together with compassion and commitment,” Symba CEO Shawn Smith said. “Each Wellness Center graduate is equipped with new tools, renewed hope, and a path forward that represents lives changed, families strengthened, and a community made healthier. We are deeply grateful to the city for standing with us in this shared mission.”
The city of Victorville constructed its Wellness Center on city-owned land, with most of the funding coming from a $28 million Homekey grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Additionally, the city used revenue from Measure P, the one-cent sales tax approved by Victorville voters in 2020, to fund a Homeless Engagement Team that canvasses the Victorville community, engages with the city’s homeless, and connects them with helpful resources like the Wellness Center.
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