North County mayors talk homelessness strategies at forum

CARLSBAD — Mayors from several North County cities discussed their approaches to tackling homelessness during a forum at Pacific Ridge School on Sept. 5.

The forum, held at the private school in Bressi Ranch, featured Carlsbad Mayor Keith Blackburn, Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez, Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones.

The mayors shared their cities’ efforts to address homelessness and explored potential regional solutions. Tigist Layne, a North County reporter with Voice of San Diego and former reporter with The Coast News, moderated the event.

“If any of us had a solution, we wouldn’t keep it a secret,” Blackburn said. “We’re all struggling with what’s the best answer.”

The discussion kicked off with data from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness’s 2024 Point-in-Time Count, which estimates the number of homeless individuals in each city. While acknowledging the count’s limitations, Sanchez noted the difficulty of reaching every homeless person, suggesting that the actual numbers are likely higher.

“We know these numbers are not very accurate,” Sanchez said. “It’s all done in the same way, we get volunteers to help with police, and it’s like 4 a.m. – it’s hard to count people at that time. There are probably more people in difficult to reach, well-hidden places.”

According to the 2024 count, Oceanside had 522 homeless individuals, an 11% decrease from the previous year, though the unsheltered population increased by 24%. Despite the decline, Oceanside has the second-highest unsheltered population in North County, behind Escondido.

Oceanside has made strides in addressing homelessness, including the recent openings of the 50-bed Oceanside Navigation Center and Greenbrier Village, the city’s first permanent supportive housing site.

The Coast News previously reported some center graduates have moved on to Greenbrier Village as the next step in their housing journey.

Blackburn noted that some homeless individuals may be moving between cities, which could cause fluctuations in local counts.

“We don’t know how many people counted last year were found elsewhere,” Blackburn said.

Carlsbad’s data shows a 47% increase in the overall homeless population and an 87% rise in unsheltered individuals since last year. Blackburn attributed the city’s approach to addressing homelessness to its outreach team, which includes police officers, social workers, and housing staff.

“We’re handling it one person at a time,” he said.

Kranz emphasized that, regardless of the numbers, those living on the streets need assistance. He highlighted the city’s Safe Parking program and the Buena Creek Navigation Center a 48-bed shelter opened in partnership with Vista.

Encinitas saw a 67% increase in its homeless population this year, with a 58% rise in unsheltered individuals. San Marcos experienced a sharp increase from just two homeless people last year to 35 this year.

Jones reiterated her support for the San Marcos City Council’s recent decision to ban encampments on public property. Several local cities adopted this policy after the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass v. Johnson decision allowed municipalities greater control over public camping penalties.

“When they’re told they can’t just stay in a park and spend the night there day after day, it puts a little pressure on them,” Jones said. “Everyone has to follow the same rules.”

In Oceanside, Sanchez said the police are exploring options for encampment bans but expressed concerns about criminalizing homelessness.

“I don’t think criminalizing homelessness is the answer,” she said. “I think we can do a lot better.”

Instead, Sanchez hopes to learn best practices through a new agreement with Carlsbad to clean up encampments along state Route 78. The cities are sharing an $11.4 million grant to provide wraparound services for homeless individuals in the Buena Vista Creek area over the next three years.

The mayors agreed that addressing homelessness requires regional collaboration rather than shifting the burden to one area. Blackburn noted the importance of learning from mistakes and building on successes, while Jones called for a comprehensive approach that includes mental health services, food assistance, and affordable housing.

“We care, we’re trying our best,” Blackburn said. “Are we successful all the time? Absolutely not, but we’re learning from our mistakes and building on our successes.”

Sanchez, a former public defender, and Blackburn, a former prosecutor, both highlighted the impact of Proposition 47’s passage, which eliminated drug courts, on the region’s ability to address substance abuse among homeless individuals. Sanchez voiced her support for Proposition 36, which would reclassify certain drug offenses and mandate treatment for some offenders.

Jones encouraged residents to contribute by volunteering at shelters or helping those struggling with homelessness.

“We have to remember that this is all of our problem and each one of us, as we have gone through the things that we’re doing, it will be a multifaceted, multipronged approach,” Jones said. “It’s getting people the mental health that they need, it’s getting food to folks, continuing to build affordable housing, continuing to look at everything that’s happening because… it is not a static situation and is something that is ever-evolving… we are definitely working hard to address this situation.”