Escondido’s City Council last week approved a new “public safety-first” homelessness policy that rejects the Housing First approach. But the move could impact the city’s ability to receive state or federal dollars that are tied to the Housing First policy.
First, some background: The city’s new homelessness policy calls for a tough on crime approach to its homeless population. That includes tougher consequences for those who engage in a “pervasive and consistent level of criminal activity” and an end to free resources for homeless people that according to city leaders, “enables substance use or homelessness.”
It also says Escondido will pursue a city-run homeless shelter that requires sobriety and would serve only Escondido’s unhoused residents.
The housing first approach, the statement says, is “ineffective and unsustainable with the exception of seniors who may have been priced out of the housing market due to their limited and/or fixed income.”
Instead, drug addiction and untreated mental health concerns are the root cause of homelessness in Escondido, the policy says.
The statement was written by the city’s homelessness subcommittee, made up of Escondido Mayor Dane White and Councilmember Joe Garcia. It was approved 4-1, with Councilmember Consuelo Martinez, the council’s only Democrat, opposed.
Housing First dollars: During last Wednesday’s meeting, Martinez said rejecting Housing First could make it more difficult to get state or federal dollars, which could be detrimental to the city because it’s facing a structural budget deficit.
Housing First says providing a stable home is the first step to helping people recover from life on the streets and drug and mental health crises.
In 2016, California adopted Housing First statewide. As a result, California now requires any state‐funded homeless program to abide by the principles of Housing First, including allowing tenants to stay housed regardless of substance use.
The same rules typically apply to federal funding sources, as well.
But the rest of the council seemed to be okay with taking that risk.
“I’m of the personal opinion that Housing First is grossly ineffective,” Councilmember Mike Morasco said. “If that means that we don’t get state or federal funding because of that particular philosophy that we currently have, then we’ll work harder to find solutions financially that meet the philosophy that we currently have.”
And another thing: Mayor White added an amendment to the policy, asking staffers to explore a moratorium on homeless services in and around downtown.
This could be in response to the county Board of Supervisors’ proposal earlier this month to look into several county-owned properties that could potentially serve as emergency homeless shelters.
One of the locations listed was a 2-acre lot in downtown Escondido, but it was removed from the resolution after White and Supervisor Jim Desmond criticized the idea.
They argued that county leaders should have given Escondido more notice and worked with the city to identify a location together. White said then that the proposed site, located in the city’s downtown business district, isn’t the right fit for a shelter, but that city leaders were willing to work with the county to find a different site.
Reminder: Escondido currently has the highest unsheltered homeless population of all the cities in North County, according to last year’s point-in-time count, with 304 unsheltered homeless people.
And last August, the city stopped contributing funds to one of the city’s two homeless shelters – Haven House run by Interfaith Community Services. The move was highly controversial among residents who criticized city officials for not supporting one of the few shelters in the city and in North County.
At the time, city officials told Interfaith they were concerned that the shelter was serving too many homeless people that weren’t from Escondido. White indicated at the Aug. 9 City Council meeting that he would be pushing for the city to open its own shelter, one that is run by the city.
I support the mayor’s decision. Rampant homelessness and all the policies to date just serve the few to milk the system of money and leave the general population dealing with homeless endangering their communities. Would love to see a news agency try putting out an article that highlights what good might come out of it rather than sticking to the status quo.
Obviously, you have never needed or never HAD to ask for help of ANY kind in your entire life. I seriously doubt that the current mayor was ever homeless, too. If he had been and he truly benefited from services that helped him get back a life, he would know and understand to further “intentionally” strip the last bit of dignity a human being experiencing homelessness might be clinging to is shameful, malescifent and despicable. Treating them like they are trash, treating them like criminals does nothing but solidfy to them, they’re trash and turns them into criminals.
He and his deplorable cohort, Joe Garcia, who claims to be a pastor, a man of God, do not deserve any accolades. Their actions and words reflect the very prejudicial, uncaring, selfish, unethical mentality of the city council, Sam Abed’s leftovers. He brought corruption, greed and distain to Escondido, all while he and the police chief lined their pockets with developer’s funds. Elected officials…. speaks loudly to the caliber of human beings that his unethical and hypocritable practices and policies
brought into Escondido. It is sad… Escondido used to be a caring community, a good communityNeighbors helped neighbors…and strangers alike, even as diverse as it was. .
And BTW, bousing first, not only works but gives stability, hope, guidence and direction back to people AND lets them hold on to dignity and helps build integrity, character and self-confidence, security, which puts them on a path to hopefully getting any help they need and feeling like they belong somewhere again.
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Rhode Island requires drug alcohol treatment before helping homeless!