OCEANSIDE — The cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad will split a $11.4 million state grant to clean up homeless encampments and provide permanent housing and supportive services for homeless individuals living along state Route 78 and the Buena Vista Creek area.
Sal Roman, Oceanside’s Homeless Program Manager, said the grant aims to address encampments through partnerships with community organizations to create a “streamlined process and pathways to permanent housing.”
The grant will be distributed between the two cities, with Oceanside receiving nearly $6.1 million and Carlsbad $5.3 million. Oceanside plans to allocate approximately $2.8 million for city use, with the remaining $3.2 million directed to Interfaith Community Services, a nonprofit based in Escondido that provides shelter, substance use treatment, and other services to homeless individuals.
Carlsbad will distribute its funds among four agencies, including La Posada de Guadalupe, a local homeless shelter for single men run by Catholic Charities, which will receive $515,025. The Whole Person Care Clinic, part of the Foundry Community Church in Escondido, will receive $790,125 to provide medical services.
The Community Resource Center, an Encinitas-based nonprofit supporting domestic violence survivors and those in need, will receive more than $3.5 million. Carlsbad will use $486,376 directly.
The funding comes from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness’s Encampment Resolution Fund, part of a broader $192 million initiative announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this year. Oceanside and Carlsbad’s grant is the only one awarded in San Diego County.
“This program not only has measurable results but also tangible, feasible results,” Roman said during an Aug. 21 council meeting. “The goal is to really address 100% of encampment residents, hyper-focusing on the targeted area by addressing the needs of individuals with a multidisciplinary team to provide pathways to housing.”
Roman praised the efforts of Carlsbad Housing and Homeless Services Director Mandy Mills and her team in developing the program.
Some residents expressed concern about the treatment of individuals under the program and questioned whether it might merely shift the problem rather than solve it.
“I’m hoping we’re having compassion and humanity when we’re out there sweeping these camps,” said Oceanside resident Sunny Soto, a local chef who provides meals to homeless individuals through Sunny Street Outreach. “It’s not just waste management coming through to make sure these people are herded into these hotel vouchers.”
Others feared the program could push homeless individuals to less visible locations in the community. Roman emphasized that the initiative is not intended to push people away or involve law enforcement.
“It’s not a sweep,” Roman said. “There’s no law enforcement involved; these are all professionals going in and doing the work. They will not move on until each individual is served.”
City Manager Jonathan Borrego clarified that while the program does not include a law enforcement component, the city would not allow illegal activity to continue unchecked.
“The goal is to get people into housing services, but that doesn’t mean that folks out there get a pass to do whatever they want,” Borrego said.
Soto also raised concerns about the involvement of religious organizations in the program, noting that some individuals might avoid these services due to inclusivity issues. Roman assured that non-religious partners would be available to assist those who prefer them.
Councilmember Rick Robinson questioned what would happen to individuals who continually refuse services and whether the program might attract more homeless individuals seeking assistance. Borrego acknowledged that it often takes multiple contacts for someone to accept services, and with a three-year timeframe, the program has the capacity to address these challenges.
“This is an incredible program that follows the continuum of care, and is frankly what we should be doing all over the city,” said Councilmember Eric Joyce.
Deputy Mayor Ryan Keim also supported the program but emphasized the need for close monitoring to ensure the effective use of the $11 million in taxpayer dollars.
“If someone resists services for three years, we have to be able to address that effectively,” Keim said.
At the same meeting, Keim and Councilmember Peter Weiss proposed two additional initiatives related to affordable housing and homelessness. The first directs staff to create a list of Oceanside residents who qualify for affordable housing, which would be provided to developers to select tenants or homebuyers for affordable units.
Weiss expressed concerns that upcoming projects were not openly advertising their affordable units and hoped such a list would help locals secure these opportunities. The proposal passed unanimously.
The second initiative, which passed by a 4-1 vote, requests a four-hour meeting to discuss city goals and policies addressing homelessness. Mayor Esther Sanchez opposed the motion, accusing Keim and Weiss of using these items to bolster their political campaigns.
Sanchez questioned the effectiveness of the eligibility list and argued that the city likely lacks the legal authority to require developers to use it. She also criticized the second proposal, stating it should be “outlawed” for candidates running for office to request “very valuable staff time” when resources are already stretched thin.
