Addressing homelessness is my top priority as your Mayor. Every single day, we are working to get people off the street, connected to services, and on a path to securing permanent housing. This weekly e-newsletter provides updates on each of these efforts and how we are ending homelessness in our City one person at a time. 

CARE Court Working Group Meeting Kicks Off Implementation

California Health and Human Services Agency held the first working group meeting on the Community Assistance, Recovery & Empowerment (CARE) Court on Tuesday in Sacramento. 

The program, established from legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom last fall, provides a new tool for local governments to help those that suffer from psychotic episodes gain access to behavioral health services and housing through a court-ordered care plan for up to 24 months. San Diego County will be one of the first to implement the program.  

People who have struggled to help loved ones suffering from severe behavioral health disorders were in attendance and shared stories of how they hope CARE Court will help them provide desperately needed intervention. 

The working group will coordinate and collaborate among stakeholders throughout the county implementation process. Hafsa Kaka, director of the City’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department, is a member of the working group and will ensure the City’s perspective is included. 

You can sign up to receive CARE Court updates from the state by emailing CAREAct@chhs.ca.gov. 

The Latest on Closely Watched Hepatitis A Case

This week, the City of San Diego was informed by the County that five people had contracted Hepatitis A and that, tragically, one person passed away. At least at this stage, the County has informed us, this is not considered an outbreak. That determination requires at least three cases that are linked in some way.  

It’s important to note that this is also not a return of Hepatitis A. This disease is always with us. According to the County, our region sees two to three cases per month. It is rarely deadly. Yet we still take it extremely seriously, because it can be, as was the case when an outbreak among nearly 600 people in 2017 took the lives of 20 residents in San Diego County, many of whom were unsheltered. 

Since that outbreak in 2017, the City of San Diego has remained vigilant about sanitizing our sidewalks and providing greater access to handwashing stations and restrooms.  

Sidewalk sanitization occurs five days a week, including three dedicated zones in Downtown that are addressed weekly. During the remaining two days, we address other parts of Downtown, Logan Heights, Hillcrest, North Park, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Mid City, South Bay or other communities in need. We have also deployed restrooms – both portable and permanent – strategically around Downtown and shown on sandiego.gov/restroom. 

In addition, working with County public-health officials, this week we have administered over 65 vaccinations at our shelters, with plans to do more in the coming days. In an abundance of caution, the City’s shelters have implemented a universal screening tool for intake.  

The City’s homeless service outreach teams have received hygiene kits and public health education material to distribute to the unsheltered population. The City’s most recent focused outreach this week included two county public health nurses who administered Hepatitis A vaccines on site as well.

Focused Street Outreach in Rolando Village Connects Dozens with Help to End Their Homelessness   

Our Coordinated Street Outreach Program conducts focused outreach events across the city, during which outreach teams canvass an area to engage unsheltered people where they are and help connect them to supportive services.   

These twice-monthly, multiagency events provide unhoused residents with case management, health education, public benefits, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, primary care referrals, and access to hygiene kits, transportation and other essentials.   

Rolando Village

Recently, the City of San Diego’s Community Coordinated Access to Resource and Engagement (CARE) Outreach event took place at Clay Park in Rolando Village to assist folks living unsheltered along El Cajon Boulevard   

Partnering with the County and other local agencies and nonprofits, the Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department is helping to get people experiencing homelessness off the streets.   

During the three-day event, nearly 90 intakes were completed to connect people to various resources, including shelter services, county benefits, case management and medical care.    

Nine clients at the event were referred to housing of various types, three clients were referred to and stayed in shelters and 17 clients were enrolled in street-based case management. Others received help with government benefits, DMV documentation, healthcare veterinary care, cell phone access and other service.

New Safe Haven Shelter Nearly at Capacity 

In January, the City and County of San Diego jointly opened the Community Harm Reduction “Safe Haven” shelter on Pacific Highway just outside of the Midway neighborhood. The facility provides 11 rooms with 22 beds and serves clients living with chronic substance-use conditions. 

Currently, 21 of the 22 beds are filled, with only one client leaving the program after enrolling. 

Under the City-County partnership, the City covers the costs to use the facility, which is located on the campus of Veterans Village of San Diego, and the County of San Diego covers operational costs. Episcopal Community Services is operating the program under a contract with the County. 

Understanding the City’s Shelter System 

The City of San Diego has contracts with various service providers throughout the city to provide shelter options for individuals to stabilize in a safe, sanitary environment while they are connected to permanent or other long-term housing.  

The shelters listed below are City-funded or included as part of the City’s Coordinated Intake System for shelter placements. (Note: These do not represent all shelters operating within the City of San Diego.) 

• Alpha Project Bridge Shelter I  
• Alpha Project Bridge Shelter II  
• Community Harm Reduction Shelter  
• Community Harm Reduction Safe Haven 
• Father Joe’s Villages Bishop Maher Center  
• Father Joe’s Villages Paul Mirabile Center  
• Golden Hall, First Floor  
• Golden Hall, Second Floor  
• Old Central Library Women’s Shelter 
• PATH Connections Housing  
• Rachel’s Promise Women’s Shelter  
• Rosecrans Shelter  
• Seniors Landing  
• San Diego Youth Services  
• Urban Street Angels Youth Shelter