Dear Friends,

I am excited to share that everyone has been helped and moved at the N. Magnolia Ave homeless encampment! More than 70 people have been connected to housing since March 19th. Take a look below at the before and after photos.

I am grateful that the County's Office of Homeless Solutions, Department of Public Works, and Sheriff's Department responded to my plea for further action to clear out this encampment along public right-of-way to protect both the individuals living there and the overall community.

Cleaning up the Magnolia encampment has been an eye-opening experience. It took a long time and a lot of taxpayer dollars, which shows how much the status quo is not working — not for ordinary citizens going about their day, our local businesses, and certainly not for the individuals affected by homelessness. The latest Point-In-Time homeless count shows us that East County has the second highest concentration of homelessness in the region, more than North County Coastal, North County Inland, and South County combined.

I was elected to change the status quo and make a measurable difference on our streets. I am laser focused on using all available resources and giving law enforcement the tools they need. Without a shelter in East County, the Sheriffs are limited in how they can enforce the laws. Due to Court rulings, in most circumstances homeless encampments cannot be removed without a shelter space made available for each individual. This is why a shelter is a necessary component to getting people connected to resources and enforcing the law.

The Board of Supervisors continues to work towards a comprehensive regional approach to solving homelessness. This week we approved two actions which draw down state and federal tax dollars back into our community to create shelters, provide drug addiction treatment, and connect homeless youth to housing.

Additionally, the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove have all signed onto our memorandum of understanding— an agreement between the County and East County cities to work together and take a regional approach in addressing the issue of homelessness.

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.