On Tuesday, the City Council accepted a $2.3 million state grant that will help address homeless encampments in the downtown Village area. One of the City Council’s top goals is to prevent and reduce homelessness and its effects on our community.
The funding was secured through the state’s Encampment Resolution Grant Program, which provides funding to help local jurisdictions move people experiencing homelessness in encampments into housing. Carlsbad’s application was one of only two in San Diego County to receive funding in the latest round awarded, with the city securing the full amount requested.
What the grant will be used for
The grant funding will be used over the next three years to work with nonprofit service providers to assist people experiencing homelessness in the downtown Village Area and move them to stable housing. In response to community feedback, focus will be given to areas around Pine Park, Holiday Park, City Hall and the Georgina Cole Library since the city has received more complaints about people experiencing homelessness in these areas.
The funding will pay for services including outreach and case management, rapid-rehousing assistance, limited-term motel vouchers, medicine and healthcare coordination, and the La Posada de Guadalupe shelter. The city will partner with regional service providers including Interfaith Community Services, Community Resource Center, Southern California Care Community and Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego.
“We’ll use this grant funding to direct additional resources to the Village to better address community concerns and help reduce the effects of homelessness on our community,” said Housing & Homeless Services Director Mandy Mills.
A total of $199 million was awarded from the state’s Encampment Resolution Fund to 23 projects in 22 communities. This was the third round of grants, which was announced by Governor Newsom on June 14. Previously, 26 communities were awarded $96 million from the fund over two rounds.
The Encampment Resolution Fund, administered by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency and the California Interagency Council on Homelessness was designed by Governor Newsom and the state to provide communities of all sizes with funding to move people living in encampments into housing.
