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Dear Friends,

Since you have last heard from me, the County has taken more steps to address the homeless encampment on North Magnolia Avenue. Progress is being made! Our office received the following success story that I wanted to pass along to you:

An elderly veteran who has been on the corner of Magnolia for over a year was resistant to all services. He has a Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) voucher but refused to use it. After days of outreach, he finally came around and was willing to engage and let staff help him utilize his housing voucher. He was partially moved as of 4/7/22 and the next day he successfully checked into a hotel. DPW will be out there to clear the very large site he was using.  
 
To ensure that all available resources are being brought to address the large encampment on Magnolia Ave in the unincorporated area of El Cajon, I requested frequent updates from the County’s Office of Homeless Solutions. Their updates about homelessness in East County, and some recent media attention on the issue, are below.

It's my job to make County government work for you. If there is any way my office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to use the contact form on my website for the fastest response, email me at Joel.Anderson@sdcounty.ca.gov, or give me a call (619) 441-4327.

As always, it's an honor to serve you.
Joel Anderson
Supervisor, District 2
UPDATE ON THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS ADDRESSING THE N. MAGNOLIA HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT
General Updates
Agencies Will Be On-Site Three Times a Week (from April 1 onwards):
  • Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS)
  • Department of Homeless Solutions & Equitable Communities (HSEC)
  • Homeless Assistance Resource Team (HART) Sheriff's Deputies
  • Home Start – City of El Cajon homeless outreach contractor
  • Behavioral Health Services (BHS) – East County Mental Health Center outreach staff
  • People Assisting The Homeless (PATH) – BHS contracted outreach staff
  • Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT)
  • Equus – Housing and Community Development Services (HCDS, a County agency) contractor for housing vouchers

Updates from Agencies
Department of Public Works (DPW):
  • The week of 4/4/22, DPW is continuing to assess the area daily for trash and debris and was onsite for cleanup of abandoned encampment areas after people moved to housing.

Sheriff's Department
  • HART deputies were on site all week and continue to provide assistance to outreach workers, transportation to individuals being housed.
  • Several mental health evaluations were conducted and Sheriffs provided referrals. 
  • Deputies also assisted DPW cleanup crews while they removed garbage and hazardous waste.
Photo taken on April 7, 2022 after Department of Public Works cleared the site of a homeless individual who was connected to housing.
In Case You Missed It
Photo taken recently after a DPW cleanup.
During Tuesday's board meeting, Supervisor Joel Anderson asked if the money could also go toward help homeless shelter projects already in progress, and Estrella said that was possible.
Photo taken recently after a DPW cleanup.
Supervisor Joel Anderson said in a statement that those measures would help his constituents in rural East County.

County efforts will “help get folks off the streets instead of sweeping the problem under the rug,” Anderson said. “I am confident that the Board of Supervisors can work together in this coming year to address East County’s most pressing needs, including the issue of homelessness.”

Supervisor Joel Anderson
Office Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

County Administration Center
Phone: 619-531-5522

El Cajon District Office
Phone: 619-441-4327
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