The San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH) recently issued a statement in response to critiques made by El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells regarding the city’s homeless count from the annual Point-In-Time Count held on January 30.
The mayor expressed concerns over the accuracy of the count, claiming that it resulted in inflated numbers of homeless individuals in El Cajon.
In a news release dated Tuesday, RTFH emphasized that the count involved collaboration among volunteers, government agencies, and service providers across the region.
During a press briefing on May 23, Wells voiced his dissatisfaction with this year’s findings, which showed a notable increase in the number of unsheltered individuals in the city.
According to the initial results released in May, El Cajon was the only city to exhibit a significant rise both in percentage and absolute numbers of people experiencing homelessness. The count indicated a jump from 283 to 344 unsheltered individuals in the city, marking a 21.6% increase.
Wells criticized the methodology for the count, stating, “The county included individuals outside our city limits, counted people they themselves placed into El Cajon hotels through their ineffective hotel voucher program and tallied areas not even within our jurisdiction.”
He argued that the findings from the county diverged from what city officials and outreach teams observed, suggesting potential double-counting and miscalculations by enumerators who did not actively engage with the community.
In response to these claims, the RTFH conducted a closer examination of the count’s locations.
They determined that 24 individuals categorized as homeless were actually situated outside of El Cajon’s city limits.
To address this issue, RTFH announced that future census tract designations would adjust to encompass areas outside of city limits, thus better reflecting the true geographic scope of homelessness in the region.
RTFH and the city of El Cajon are committed to enhancing data collection and increasing transparency moving forward.
In an effort to seek clarity regarding the count, Wells expressed gratitude for the RTFH’s willingness to work closely with El Cajon officials to rectify the discrepancies.
He stated, “It’s clear to me that there are some flaws in the Point-In-Time Count methodology and that this resulted in the numbers of homeless in El Cajon being overstated.”
Tamera Kohler, CEO of RTFH, described the Point-In-Time Count as an essential but imperfect tool for understanding the complexities of homelessness in the region.
She explained, “While it’s just one snapshot in time, the data informs how we plan, fund, and deliver services to those most in need.”
Kohler highlighted the importance of partnerships with local municipalities like El Cajon, which aid in refining the data interpretation process and foster transparency.
El Cajon officials were appreciative of RTFH’s responsiveness, with City Manager Graham Mitchell stating, “Accurate and reliable data is essential for understanding the challenges our community faces and for making informed decisions on how to respond.”
Mitchell further acknowledged RTFH’s willingness to enhance the counting process for future assessments, reinforcing a shared commitment to addressing homelessness with integrity.
The recently released countywide tally reported a 7% decrease in the overall number of homeless individuals, with a more pronounced drop of about 14% in the city of San Diego.
The count, conducted in January, involved over 1,700 volunteers who took to the streets to survey those living without stable housing.
Findings indicated that there were 9,905 people experiencing homelessness throughout the county, a decrease from the previous year’s total of 10,605 individuals.
Current data revealed that 5,714 of these individuals were unsheltered, while 4,191 resided in shelters and transitional housing.
The RTFH noted significant reductions in homelessness across several cities, attributing improvements to strategic investments and effective partnerships.
Cities like Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside, La Mesa, and Chula Vista also reported declines in homeless numbers, ranging from 6% to 15%.
The previous year’s count indicated a 3% uptick in homeless individuals, while a notable increase of 20% had been recorded in 2023.
Among the emerging trends, the report highlighted a 5% increase in homeless senior citizens, making up one-third of the homeless population.
Interestingly, half of these seniors were experiencing homelessness for the first time.
The report revealed that the oldest person found unsheltered was an 80-year-old white male, in contrast to an 85-year-old Hispanic woman noted in the prior year.
The number of individuals living in vehicles increased by 7%, while there was a pronounced decline of 22% among homeless transitional age youth aged 18-24.
Significantly, the number of unsheltered families plummeted by 72%, and the number of homeless veterans saw a drop of 25%.
It is crucial to note that according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, safe sleeping and safe parking sites are classified as unsheltered.
During the annual count, volunteers not only documented homeless individuals but also collected demographic data, including Hispanic ethnicity for the first time in the 2024 report.
image source from：nbcsandiego
