The number of people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad has decreased by 13% since 2022, based on the latest regional count, released June 8. Get the data.
Each year, agencies throughout the nation participate in the Point in Time count, an organized effort to collect data on homelessness on the same day over a four-hour period, usually early in the morning. Locally, the Point in Time count is coordinated by the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness. In Carlsbad, residents are invited to participate alongside social workers and members of the city’s Homeless Response Team.
“The Point in Time count provides a snapshot that, combined with other data, helps the City of Carlsbad get a better understanding of the population experiencing homelessness and how we can best direct resources to address this problem and its effects on our community,” said Mandy Mills, who heads up the city’s new Housing & Homeless Services Department.
Although the County of San Diego has primary responsibility for leading the region’s health and human services, the City of Carlsbad was one of the first in the region to develop its own Homeless Response Plan in 2017 to address city-specific needs and help coordinate among the county and various non-profit organizations also involved in this issue. That plan was recently updated in February 2023 and includes:
A specially trained Homeless Outreach Team in the Police Department focused on compassionate enforcement
Contracted social workers, benefits specialists, rapid rehousing specialists and other resources that focus on transitioning people successfully into long-term housing and preventing new people from becoming homeless
Expanding Carlsbad’s only homeless shelter to include women and families for the first time
Cleaning up encampments that pose a health and safety concern to the community
Creating more affordable housing options
A special program with the Humane Society that can temporarily care for the pets of people experiencing homelessness so they can qualify for short term programs that may not allow pets
Updates to the city’s municipal code that address the quality-of-life impacts of homelessness for local residents and businesses
Active participation and cooperation in regional solutions
2023 Point in Time highlights
In 2023, 103 people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad were identified, compared to 118 in 2022 and 148 in 2020. This includes people in shelters.
The number of people in shelters regionally increased by almost 20% since the last count since there have been significant efforts in the region to increase shelter capacity.
The number of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in the north coastal region decreased by almost 10%. The number of sheltered persons increased by 84 since the 2022 regional count.
Overall, the North County Region, including inland areas, accounted for approximately 14% of the homeless population in San Diego County for the 2023 count. This is a decrease of 3% since 2022. The City of San Diego has 63% of the region’s total number of people experiencing homelessness.
“Even though this is not conclusive evidence, it is encouraging,” said Mills. “While we continue our efforts, we will also be tracking many different measures and reporting out regularly on our progress.”
Carlsbad uses a variety of data points to track progress of its efforts to reduce homelessness and reports results to the City Council regularly. The next report is scheduled for June 20.
