GRANT FUNDS TO HELP HOMELESS PEOPLE IN RIVERBED ENCAMPMENTS

East County News Service

Photo via County News Service

June 14, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – The State of California has awarded a grant of nearly $17 million to help put people experiencing homelessness along the San Diego Riverbed into permanent housing and to connect them with services.

The grant is the result of a county-led partnership in collaboration with the city of Santee, the city of San Diego, and the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans).  It’s funded as part of $240 million in Encampment Resolution Funds that California announced last year to help local jurisdictions resolve encampments and get people into housing, as well as provide services.

According to the Point in Time homeless count conducted countywide on a January morning in 2023, homelessness countywide has risen by 25% over last year’s count.  Here in East County, communities along the San Diego River, where there are numerous homeless camps, have seen homeless numbers rise significantly including a 58% increase in Lakeside, 23% increase in Lakeside, and an 18% increase in Spring Valley.  In Lakeside and Valley, 100% of homeless people are unsheltered, highlighting the need for these funds. The count found 78 homeless people in Lakeside and 71 in SpringValley.  Santee had76 homeless individuals, of whom only 18 were in any type of shelter.

The grant money, awarded to the County’s Department of Homeless Solutions & Equitable Communities, is projected to help an estimated 300 people experiencing homelessness living along the San Diego riverbed. It will pay for interim and permanent housing subsidies as well as seven staff who will conduct focused collaborative outreach and coordinate services. 

“This grant is the result of the strong collaborations with our partners at the City of San Diego, City of Santee and Caltrans, and we are grateful for everyone’s efforts,” said Barbara Jiménez, County Community Operations Officer. “With the funds, we’ll be able to provide safer, cleaner and healthier living conditions for our community members now living unhoused in the riverbed.”  

Helping homeless people living in encampments along the riverbed is not only a humane choice, it also reduces wildfire danger, since a significant number of brush fires have begun in riverbed homeless camps.

Over the next several weeks, the County will work with the three partner entities to bring together the staff and resources to start work on the program.