Oceanside wants to put more “heart” into its efforts to get unsheltered people out of encampments and off the streets and into permanent homes.
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The Oceanside City Council has approved an immediate change from the police-led homeless outreach team, or HOT team, to a civilian-led effort called the “homeless evaluation, assistance and response team,” or HEART.
“The HEART model is intended to transition … to a more coordinated … case-management focused, outreach model, while continuing strong collaboration with OPD and crime suppression,” said Tameka Tates, the city’s homeless services manager.
The City Council voted unanimously May 20 to approve the transition, to create a new full-time position to lead the team, and allocate $200,000 this fiscal year to cover start-up costs.
The current HOT team consists of a police sergeant, two police officers and two social workers and costs the city $660,000 annually. Like many cities in the region, Oceanside created its HOT team about 10 years ago to deal with the increasing number of people without shelter.
Oceanside’s new HEART team will be developed and supervised by the homeless services manager, Tates. It will consist of a new full-time homeless outreach coordinator, three outreach workers and two social workers at a cost of $400,000. The outreach and social workers will be contracted through the nonprofit Interfaith Community Services.
Several residents at the City Council meeting spoke in support of the program, including Steve Burrell, a community volunteer who often addresses the council on issues related to senior citizens and the unsheltered.
“You are doing the right thing, and you are working with the right people,” Burrell said. “These are the people who will help build the trust that perhaps has been missing … with these people we are serving.”
Councilmember Eric Joyce said he supported the transition, but that it might be better to hire the outreach and social workers in-house instead of using an outside nonprofit.
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“Consistency can be a challenge if they rely on contractors,” Joyce said, adding that the job is difficult and there can be frequent turnover among the employees who have contact with the homeless.
However, a majority of the council did not support Joyce’s suggestion, in part because they said it would be more costly.
Councilmember Peter Weiss said the city already has about eight social workers in various programs such as transitional housing, all with Interfaith Community Services. Interfaith also operates the city’s Navigation Center, a transitional shelter with supportive services that will add 25 beds this year for a total of 75 beds.
In response to a question by Councilmember Rick Robinson, City Manager Jonathan Borrego said the city is spending $9.5 million this year on homelessness-related services.
The largest part of that is $5.8 million from a state grant awarded to Oceanside and Carlsbad to find homes and services for people in camps along the state Route 78 corridor, Borrego said. The rest of the money covers the annual costs of the Navigation Center, a safe parking program, the HOT team and other services, such as cleaning up encampments.
The HEART team will work with people in encampments and on the streets, connecting individuals to behavioral health, medical, substance use, and supportive services and will assist them with identification documents, benefits enrollment and assessments, city officials said.
People also will receive help with family reunification, landlord incentives, case conferences, and finding safe parking.
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