SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) -- A man who was once left homeless because of medical bills for a rapid heartbeat said at the grand reopening of San Francisco's Medical Respite and Sobering Center that he would not have a home without the center.

The center, which was initially located at 36 Felton St., provides a haven where drug- or alcohol-addicted homeless people can recover from their addictions and receive treatment for medical problems.

It lost its lease and moved to a building owned by St. Anthony's Foundation at 1171 Mission St. in mid-February. The facility now offers 12 sobering beds for emergency use and 45 respite beds for people with prolonged medical needs.

Today, about 50 people attended the official opening celebration for the new center, including Mayor Gavin Newsom and representatives from the city's Department of Public Health, Community Awareness and Treatment Services.

Former patient Dustin Hoffman, 54, said he'd be on the streets because of his medical bills if it weren't for the center.

After he was treated there, staff helped him find permanent shelter through San Francisco's Direct Access to Housing program.

"I've got my own bathroom, a clean bed and a nurse who helps me,'' Hoffman said as he waved to nurses and patients he recognized.”I was hospitalized 10 times and ended up homeless until I was referred to the center in November.''

Sylvia Rees, 45, who is homeless and fighting cancer with chemotherapy and radiology treatments, has a bed in the respite center.

"I'm glad this place is open because I wouldn't know what to do and I wouldn't change it for the world,'' Rees said, smiling.

However, demand is high and not everyone gets a bed. The ones who do don't always want one, Nurse Manager Alice Wong said.

Wong estimated that one to four people are referred daily by 10 local acute care hospitals. She estimated that about 17 percent of them decide to leave before they are evaluated and set up with appropriate medical care, “I was actually just tapped on the shoulder and told I need to talk to someone today about looking more closely on how we can engage them to stay.”

She seven nurses run the 24-hour service and have helped get permanent housing for about 32 percent of the people who go through the program.

Newsom attended the ceremony and reiterated that the center offers an important alternative to costly emergency care, “It's beyond alcohol consumption," Newsom said. "They need a respite strategy. They need sobering and they still need time, they still need support, but they are taking up a very expensive bed.''

He proclaimed today as Kaiser Permanente Day because the health care provider donated $250,000 to center.

The administrative offices for Community Awareness and Treatment Services are also located at the new facility

(Copyright 2009, Bay City News, All rights reserved.)