The owner of Sunny Acres, Dan De Vaul, passed away at the age of 82 on March 6th.
De Vaul founded Sunny Acres in the early 2000s, long before other methods to assisting un-housed San Luis Obispo county residents were established. It became a facility that housed and rehabilitated individuals experiencing homelessness in the county. Residents at Sunny Acres were provided a living space, and were required to work on the ranch for $5 an hour.
Devaul established Sunny Acres as a way to compassionately help those struggling with addiction, stemming from his own struggles of alcoholism. Sunny Acres Ranch was also wrought with controversies regarding safety, health, land-use violations, and lawsuits from former residents.
Towards the end of his life, De Vaul was facing long-time health issues, particularly with dementia.
