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When approaching the policy issue of homelessness as a voter, it is helpful to understand the landscape of the entities addressing homelessness in the region.
=== PUBLIC ENTITIES ===
'''San Diego County''' government, led by the Board of Supervisors, is divided among four main branches: 1) Public Safety, 2) Land Use, 3) Finance & General Government, and 4) the Health and Human Services Agency (HSSA).<ref>https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cao/organization.html</ref> The fourth branch, HHSA, is the umbrella under which homelessness services fall. Particularly, these services are handled by the [https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/hsec/ Homelessness Solutions and Equitable Communities division], which was established by the county Board of Supervisors on July 1, 2021 to “achieve enhanced coordination of existing and new County homeless and equitable community efforts and to serve as a central point of collaboration for outside partners to ensure equity among all San Diegans and to reduce homelessness in the region.”<ref>https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/hsec/about.html</ref>
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As of 2021, the Homeless Solutions and Equitable Services division allocated “185.00 staff years and a budget of $48.0 million” toward the four goals above.<ref name=":0" />
Additionally, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department has a Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART), which "provides assistance with homeless related issues in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County" with a team of eight deputies and a sergeant. HART "works collaboratively with several San Diego County entities including the County of San Diego's Department of Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Department of Public Works (DPW), Veteran Affairs, La Maestra Family Health Centers, ResCare, Crisis House, Home Start, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Salvation Army and McAlister Institute Substance Abuse Treatment and Education."<ref>https://www.sdsheriff.gov/community/homeless-outreach</ref>
'''Cities within San Diego County.''' Within the county, most cities conduct their own homelessness services. This results in a layering effect of homelessness services provisions in a region, since there are various entities (state, county, municipal) approaching the homelessness issue. Note that city responses to the homelessness issue are dynamic, but a brief overview of available city programs as of September 2022 are as follows.
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* '''Chula''' '''Vista'''’s Homeless Outreach Program falls under its Police Department<ref>https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/police-department/crime-prevention/homeless</ref>. For homelessness services, the city website directs visitors to [https://211sandiego.org/ 211 San Diego]. Chula Vista's [https://www.chulavistaca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/14698/636249944901300000 "Rights, Responsibilities, and Resolutions" presentation] for their Homeless Outreach Program specifically includes a focus on the rights and responsibilities of local business owners in relation to homelessness.
* '''Coronado''''s website does not detail any programs or strategies aimed at homelessness. In 2016, "volunteers counted two people living on the streets, two in their vehicles and two in tents or makeshift housing" in Coronado.<ref>https://patch.com/california/coronado/report-reveals-number-homeless-coronado-san-diego-county-0</ref> In 2014 The Coronado Times reported, quoting Commander Mike Lawton of the Coronado Police Department, that "when a homeless person is found sleeping on the street between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., the police try to find a bed at a shelter, and will even offer to drive them to the shelter."<ref>https://coronadotimes.com/news/2014/07/26/down-and-out-in-coronado-homeless-try-to-eke-out-a-few-feet-of-paradise/</ref>
* '''Del Mar''''s mayor co-authored [https://www.delmar.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/8109/Item-15---CARES-Court-and-Homelessness-Update#page=9 a letter in support of SB1338], a bill to "enact the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act, an important measure to provide California's civil courts with a new process for earlier action, support, and accountability to protect and care for some of our State's most vulnerable residents." County of San Diego Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher and San Diego mayor Todd Gloria were the other two co-authors. A 2021 report stated that during that year, "43 new Persons Experiencing Homelessness (PEH) were contacted during The County of San Diego’s Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) Outreach efforts for the City of Del Mar," and the report outlines the response.<ref>[https://www.delmar.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/8109/Item-15---CARES-Court-and-Homelessness-Update https://www.delmar.ca.us/DocumentCenter/View/8109/Item-15---CARES-Court-and-Homelessness-Update#page=11]</ref>
* '''El Cajon''' reports its mission to “com[e] together to address the crisis of those currently experiencing homelessness move into safer places and toward a permanent home and better future.” The city reports that since 2017 they have made “tremendous” impacts by “help[ing] house those who are currently experiencing homelessness” and “initiat[ing] clean-up efforts in [their] parks and neighborhoods."<ref>https://www.elcajon.gov/resident-services/public-safety/homelessness/homeless-overview</ref> El Cajon reports that while they allocate a variety of federal funds for housing services, they are not currently utilizing funds from the state of California, although periodically the state offers competitive grants<ref>https://www.elcajon.gov/your-government/departments/community-development/housing-division/funding-sources</ref>.
* '''Encinitas''' “collaborates with many agencies and non-profit organizations to provide resources to those experiencing homelessness, as well as develop solutions for reducing or preventing homelessness.”<ref>https://encinitasca.gov/Residents/Housing/Homeless-Resources/Homeless-Programs</ref> The city reports that the 2020 Point-In-Time count for their homeless population was 80 people, the lowest count in the five previous years.<ref name=":2">[https://encinitasca.gov/Portals/0/City%20Documents/Documents/Development%20Services/Planning/Advanced%20Planning/Homelessness/FINAL%20Homeless%20Action%20Plan%20Feb2021.pdf?ver=2021-03-02-091708-950 https://encinitasca.gov/Portals/0/City%20Documents/Documents/Development%20Services/Planning/Advanced%20Planning/Homelessness/FINAL%20Homeless%20Action%20Plan%20Feb2021.pdf?ver=2021-03-02-091708-950#page=3]</ref> In 2019 the city started developing a [https://encinitasca.gov/Portals/0/City%20Documents/Documents/Development%20Services/Planning/Advanced%20Planning/Homelessness/FINAL%20Homeless%20Action%20Plan%20Feb2021.pdf?ver=2021-03-02-091708-950 Homeless Action Plan], which it adopted February 24, 2021.<ref name=":3">https://encinitasca.gov/homelessactionplan</ref> Encinitas’ Homeless Outreach Program for Empowerment (HOPE) teams Sheriff's Deputies and HHSA social workers to assist the homeless; the Homeless Action Plan reports that HOPE served 110 individuals from June to December 2020<ref name=":2" />. Additionally, the city facilitates a Safe Parking program to provide “a safe environment for unsheltered homeless living out of their vehicles while offering resources and services,” and a program called Open Doors with the aim of securing permanent housing.<ref name=":3" />
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* '''Lemon Grove'''’s City Council “has directed staff to explore partnerships with non-profit organizations to aid in providing behavioral health services as well as long and short term housing solutions.”<ref>https://www.lemongrove.ca.gov/community/homeless-services</ref> The city has partnered with Crisis House, HomeStart, The Salvation Army and Family Health Centers of San Diego as part of its Lemon Grove Homelessness Partnership Plan. Like La Mesa, Lemon Grove is also partnered with the [https://eastcountychamber.org/san-diego-business/homeless-task-force/ East County Homeless Task Force (ECHTF)].
* '''National City''' has a Police Homeless Outreach Team which “works with various service groups to assess and identify issues related to homelessness, in an effort to develop permanent solutions.”<ref>https://www.nationalcityca.gov/government/police/homeless-outreach</ref> The city website’s [https://www.nationalcityca.gov/government/national-city-housing-authority/other-housing-resources Housing Resource Directory] directs visitors to [https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/sdhcd/ San Diego County Housing & Community Development Services] and the [https://www.sdhc.org/ San Diego Housing Commission].
* '''Oceanside''' has a [https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=46319 Comprehensive Homeless Strategy], published in 2019. In addition to listing various partnerships, the Homeless Strategy document explains city outreach efforts and actions the City Council has taken to address homelessness in Oceanside. The city partners with “Alliance for Regional Solutions, a coalition of nine cities and more than 50 non-profit service providers and funders,” as just one of its partnerships. The Oceanside Police Department also engages in the effort, having a Homeless Outreach Team and a partnership with Psychiatric Emergency Response Teams.<ref>https://www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/ns/housing/homeless/actions.asp</ref> Housing voucher programs are administered through Oceanside’s Housing Authority.
* '''Poway''' does not list any comprehensive homelessness strategies or plans, but the city does have a HomeShare and Community Connections program for those in need of emergency housing and shelter.<ref>https://poway.org/Faq.aspx?QID=163</ref>
* '''San Diego'''’s [https://www.sandiego.gov/homelessness-strategies-and-solutions/about Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department] mission statement is “to prevent and end homelessness through person-centered, compassionate and equitable services.” The City of San Diego has a [https://www.sdhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/SD_Homeless_CSH_report_final_10-2019.pdf Community Action Plan] on Homelessness, authored by the Corporation for Supportive Housing. The plan lists three specific goals to reach within three years: 1) decrease unsheltered homelessness by 50%, 2) end veteran homelessness, and 3) prevent and end youth homelessness. Two elements of the Community Action Plan's execution are a Leadership Council and Implementation Team. The [https://www.sdhc.org/ San Diego Housing Commission] is an important entity in executing this Action Plan, since it “administers shelter, transitional housing, supportive services, and rapid rehousing (RRH) programs on behalf of the City.”<ref>https://www.sdhc.org/homelessness-solutions/city-homeless-shelters-services/</ref> San Diego also works with the County and the RTFH to coordinate its approach. The city’s 2022-23 Adopted Operating Budget for Homeless Strategies and Solutions is just over $25 million.
* '''San Marcos''' does not list any homeless strategies or task forces, but does facilitate an [https://www.san-marcos.net/departments/neighborhood-programs/housing-programs/housing-resources#!/ affordable housing program].
* '''Santee''''s City Council approved a Memorandum on homeless solutions in May 2022.<ref>https://eccalifornian.com/santee-approves-memorandum-on-homeless-solutions/</ref> In March 2021, East County Magazine reported that Santee Point-In-Time count for the homeless population was 55 individuals.<ref>https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/homeless-count-shows-higher-numbers-santee</ref> The Santee city website directs people to [https://211sandiego.org/ 211 San Diego].
* '''Solana Beach''' does not list any homeless task forces or action plans on the city government website as of September 2022.
* '''Vista''' has a Housing and Homeless Services Division. Vista's [https://www.cityofvista.com/home/showpublisheddocument/22665/637238432318370000 Homeless Response Plan] describes an internal Homelessness Task Force, a Homelessness Prevention Pilot Program, a Home Share Coordination Service, and a Downtown Daytime Outreach Program, all led by the Housing division. The Public Works department is responsible for Encampment Clean-Up programs which occur quarterly. Vista reports that from October 2022 - June 2022, 77 individuals were sheltered totaling 4,089 nights, and there were 2,426 instances of service by a social worker.<ref>https://www.cityofvista.com/city-services/housing-homeless-services/addressing-homelessness/by-the-numbers</ref>
=== NON- AND SEMI-PUBLIC ENTITIES ===
The [https://www.rtfhsd.org/ San Diego Regional Task Force of Homelessness (RTFH)] is a major player in the San Diego region's homelessness response. RTFH "engages stakeholders in a community-based process that works to 1) End homelessness for all individuals and families throughout the region, 2) Address the underlying causes of homelessness, [and] 3) Lessen the negative impact of homelessness on individuals, families and communities. The RTFH is made up of representatives from the County of San Diego, non-profit service providers, religious organizations, law enforcement and other interested parties."<ref>https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/sdhcd/ending-homelessness/cofc.html</ref> The RTFH is therefore a Continuum of Care (CoC), a "regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for homeless families and individuals"<ref>https://endhomelessness.org/resource/what-is-a-continuum-of-care/</ref> which also makes reports to agencies such as the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Details from HUD about Continuums of Care can be found [https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/coc here].
For a San Diego county voter looking for a quantified understanding of the homeless issue and services landscape, [https://www.rtfhsd.org/reports-data/ RTFH's reports] are a helpful starting point. These include Community Analysis and Performance dashboards, Performance Measures reports, Housing Inventory Counts, and homeless individual Point in Time counts.
Notable non-public entities working within the landscape of the San Diego region Continuum of Care are [https://www.upliftsandiego.org/ UPLIFT San Diego], [https://home-start.org/ Home Start], the [https://www.lassd.org/about Legal Aid Society of San Diego], [https://211sandiego.org/ 211 San Diego], [https://downtownsandiego.org/ Downtown San Diego Partnership], [https://namisandiego.org/about/our-mission/ NAMI San Diego], and [https://www.dreamsforchange.org/ Dreams for Change San Diego]. Each is a non-profit organization.
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