ENCINITAS — The City Council heard updates from eight local organizations working to assist the homeless population in Encinitas and surrounding areas as part of a routine check-in with the Homeless Action Plan.
The HAP, adopted in 2019, aims to help the city better understand and assist the homeless population, which has stayed between 80 and 125 individuals over the last eight years according to point-in-time data.
A team of six officers in the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department works with social workers and the Encinitas Homeless Outreach Program for Empowerment to try to connect homeless people with local resources.
So far this year, the team averages 10 to 15 proactive contacts with new subjects per week, two to five follow-up contacts, three to five encampment abatements — which can range from cleanups of small amounts of trash to large cleanups involving CalTrans — and three to five Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design projects.
The McAllister Institute also works with the Sheriff’s Department on outreach in the early morning and late at night. The institute served 316 people from July 2022 to June 2023. In addition to the outreach, McAllister operates Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children — a substance abuse treatment center — 10 outpatient programs for sober living, family reunification services and rental assistance.
They reported guiding 213 clients to permanent housing, 90 to interim housing, referring 147 clients to behavioral health services and providing assistance and benefits to 193 others.
The county’s Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities reported about 40,000 client engagements countywide and 1,241 engagements in Encinitas specifically, 98 of which led to housing, in the last fiscal year.
Jewish Family Services reported housing 30 individuals, positively reuniting 12 households with family, and serving a total of 131 households comprising 161 individuals.
People Assisting the Homeless reported serving 179 individuals in the North Coastal region with 51 positive housing exits and 17 exits to permanent housing.
Community Resource Center reported 65 permanent housing placements and actively engaging and case managing 264 unsheltered Encinitas households.
Despite the progress report, some residents expressed their concerns with the city’s plan to address homelessness, especially the idea of building a navigation center in Encinitas to accommodate the local and regional homeless population.
According to the staff report, the city has identified a location in unincorporated San Diego County with existing buildings that can accommodate a homeless services center and expects to bring lease and service agreements sometime in October.
“I believe we need to have a plan but I don’t feel a homeless shelter is appropriate for Encinitas,” said resident Jeryl Anne Kessler. “Please partner with the county on this I believe they may funding for this or can access it. I don’t have the answers but each person’s story is different and one size does not fit all. Please respect the community’s wishes on this. Look into programs that have successful homeless action plans.”
Resident Elena Thompson said she is worried the city is headed toward a larger homeless population by expanding its services and not effectively enforcing local ordinances.
“Residents are concerned about the enablement of the homeless in Encinitas with never-ending ‘programs’ and ‘free grant monies,’ concerned about the city being soft on enforcing municipal code and wanting to assure that Encinitas does not become plagued by the homeless damage seen in other California towns and cities (San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Venice, etc.),” Thompson wrote. “Residents are also concerned about the growing presence and role of the CRC in our downtown, and the magnet it has become with its inviting, no-strings-attached free food programs in our core business and entertainment area. This is not about politics, it’s about common sense and sound leadership.”
