HOMELESSNESS IS MY TOP PRIORITY

If you were asked to picture San Diego’s homelessness crisis, what images would come to mind for you? Many people would describe tents scattered between skyscrapers or folks lining up outside Downtown shelters hoping for a hot meal.

There is no doubt that Downtown has become a defining image of San Diego’s homelessness crisis — and for good reason. My picture of homelessness in San Diego County, however, looks a bit different.

Just this past month, over 1,600 volunteers gathered at sites countywide to survey and count people experiencing homelessness as part of our region’s annual homeless census, the Point-in-Time count held by the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness.

Those of us volunteering at East County sites saw the San Diego region’s homelessness crisis in a different, yet equally devastating, light compared to our Downtown neighbors: encampments hidden in riverbeds, families living out of their cars in near-freezing temperatures during the backcountry’s winter, and individuals living in makeshift tents miles from the nearest homeless shelter.

What many people don’t realize is that while the city of San Diego has the most homeless people in the region, El Cajon has the second-most and East County as a whole has a higher concentration than the south, north coastal and north inland regions — yet we have significantly less resources at our disposal to help them.

When I took office as the District 2 county supervisor in 2021, county-led homeless shelters and services were practically nonexistent. Finding compassionate, effective homeless solutions in East County quickly became my top priority.

For me, this year’s count of the homeless population was bittersweet. After walking the streets of El Cajon for the second year in a row, I know we have a lot of work ahead of us. But I can also tell you that we are headed in the right direction.

During last year’s count, a large encampment along North Magnolia Avenue in unincorporated El Cajon had sadly overrun both sides of the street. Both those inhabiting it and the businesses surrounding it were suffering.

I am proud to share that less than six months later, we cleared the street, connected many of those living in the encampment with housing, and opened the first San Diego County-operated emergency shelter. A street which was once littered with tents and tarps is now home to the Magnolia Safe Parking program, providing individuals experiencing homelessness a safe place to park and stay overnight. The lot is monitored by security 24/7 and has case managers onsite to connect participants with permanent housing.

During this year’s count, I was especially thankful to drive through a quiet, empty North Magnolia Avenue, knowing that behind the unassuming fence tucked away off the main street, individuals slept soundly in their vehicles.

While it was inspiring to see progress in some areas, we were also reminded of the significant need for services in others. We learned that a mother we spoke with during last year’s count made the transition to permanent housing — only to interview her adult daughters living in a storm drain this year.

Homelessness is a complex issue. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach.

In addition to our Magnolia Safe Parking program, we now have multiple ongoing county initiatives that include a hotel voucher program granting temporary stays and extensive outreach programs throughout our streets and riverbeds. Across all these different approaches, we are encountering a similar result: Around 30 percent of participants successfully transition to permanent housing.

While this is a small step forward, it is still a sign of progress — given that just a few years ago we had no San Diego County shelters and very little services in East County.

Homelessness presents a unique challenge because it is not an isolated issue. The roots of homelessness are tangled within every other major issue we face as a county: high housing costs, a lack of mental health services, substance abuse and poverty. It is going to take time, investments and compassion for our fellow neighbors to dig San Diego County out of this trench.

No single entity can take this on alone, which is why I am focused on finding ways to collaborate with my colleagues at the county Board of Supervisors, the region’s mayors and city councils, and numerous community organizations to address this issue together.

This year, we are partnering with the various jurisdictions that oversee the San Diego River Park to reduce encampments along our riverbeds and connect those living there with services. We are also exploring how to make more sleeping cabins or “sprung shelters” available and allow private organizations like churches and nonprofits to help their local homeless population.

I am eager to apply the lessons from this year’s count to ensure that all San Diego County residents — from our beaches to our backcountry — can get the help they need.

I know we have a lot of work ahead. But I can also tell you that we are headed in the right direction.