El Cajon won’t pursue $5.3 million in state grant funding to address homeless encampments after leaders said the grant’s “housing first” conditions aren’t consistent with city policy.
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The El Cajon City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to direct city staff not to submit an application to the state Housing and Community Development department’s Encampment Resolution Funding Grant Program. Councilmember Gary Kendrick was the opposing vote.
Funding would have targeted encampments along Interstate 8 and the state Route 67 corridor, including areas that fall within Caltrans right of ways.
However, the funds would come with stipulations, many of which city leaders said weren’t worth it.
The proposed project would require the city to take up the “housing first” model, which prioritizes getting individuals into shelter above anything else. City officials have long opposed such an approach to address the homelessness crisis.
“It just feels wrong to me to adopt what I consider to be a tremendous failure, the Housing First Policy,” Mayor Bill Wells said. “Although the part of me that would love to get free money is intrigued, I think it puts the handcuffs on us that I don’t like.”
Other cities in San Diego County have decided not to pursue the state funding because of the conditions required by the state. Most recently, Encinitas decided not to apply for about $4 million in encampment resolution funding citing concerns with the city’s overall alignment with the grant conditions.
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Kendrick voted against the motion to direct staff not to apply for the grant funding, noting that he wanted more time for staff to “flush out” the proposed program.
“Five million dollars is a lot of money,” Kendrick said. “I think it can make things better than worse … this could end up being a really good thing for the city, but we don’t know yet.”
City Manager Graham Mitchell said the state program would “slow down” current homelessness programs — and potentially come at additional cost to the city.
“We’re already putting out a lot and I don’t like that they’ve got a lot of restrictions being put on us,” Councilmember Michelle Metschel said.
Leaders recently approved contracts that will focus services on medical outreach and emergency shelter services. In collaboration with the San Diego Rescue Mission, the effort will focus resources on rehabilitation efforts and addiction services.
At the same time, San Diego Rescue Mission is fielding sites for a new emergency facility in El Cajon, part of an ongoing effort to expand their network of 30-day shelters.
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