VISTA LAUNCHES PAGE ON HOMELESS-RELATED FAQS

Guidance on reporting encampments and services listed online

In response to an increasing number of calls about homeless people in Vista, city officials have launched a page specifically to answer questions from residents concerned about the issue.

The page can be found at cityofvista.com/housing under the sections on homeless encampments.

Questions include why the city takes so long to clear away encampments and what people should do to report them.

The page explains that cleanups sometimes can face legal issues if the encampment is on private property because the city does not have the authority to unilaterally go onto the site.

While the city does have the power to enforce code compliance rules that hold property owners accountable, that involves following a legal process that may take time, the page continued.

The city’s homeless outreach team also will be involved to offer people in the encampments health and shelter resources.

People can report encampments by calling the Code En

forcement Office at (760) 639-6141, filling out an online code complaint form or by downloading the city Access Vista mobile app.

“Once the camp is located and the occupants have been contacted, what is actually done about the camp is dependent on many factors,” the page explains. “The responding officers will work closely with the many resources available to determine the best course of action to take regarding the removal of the camp.”

People who observe any illegal behavior among homeless people should call 911 if there is a violation in process. Nonemergency situations should be reported to the Vista Sheriff ’s station by calling (760) 9404551.

The city adopted its Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness in March 2020 and will update it in June. The most recent data on homelessness comes from a January 2020 count that found 51 people in Vista were living without shelter, while a count the previous year found 122 people living outdoors.

The plan called for working with the Alliance for Regional Solutions to secure 10 beds in existing shelters in Carlsbad and Escondido to use for homeless people in Vista.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com