Addressing homelessness in North County

We’ve all heard the same political campaign speech, ‘We need to solve

homelessness,’ and while it sounds good, that promise which has been made time

and time again, usually lacks substance.

San Diego County continues to struggle with an on-going crisis of homelessness

with an estimated 22,000 people experiencing homelessness at some point

throughout the year. While much of the focus on homelessness is in the urban

core, North San Diego County feels the effects.

In 2019, 1,540 homeless individuals were counted in one night, in the North County. Despite millions of dollars being spent, improvement has been limited.

Earlier this week, I partnered with Supervisor Lawson-Remer on a board letter,

which looks to make a significant impact to address North County’s homeless

population. The action develops a North County pilot program, which includes

teams of outreach staff and will be comprised of highly qualified social

workers, which will be deployed in cities to develop trust and build relationships

with homeless individuals.

Working closely with each city government’s homeless personnel and resources, the County staff will leverage resources regionally, across jurisdictional lines. They will be able to transport clients and will have access to funds to provide for incidentals such as clothing, food, help obtaining identification and short-term motel vouchers as part of the engagement. This engagement will lead to services and housing, getting this vulnerable population off the street, making a dent in the crisis facing many of our cities.

Currently, each of the eight cities in North County have various service providers,

which deploy resources and programs, however in order to truly tackle this

problem, the elected leaders in these cities have come together to coordinate a

regional approach and collaborate with the County. This will provide a greater

level of outreach and support to unhoused individuals.

For too long those experiencing homelessness and the residents of San Diego

County have been given empty promise upon empty promise. The time for talk is

done. It’s time for San Diego County and North County to step up to address this

problem together.