In a unanimous 4-0 vote (with Councilmember Bob McClellan absent), the El Cajon City Council has approved a major measure to address homelessness in El Cajon as part of an initiative developed by the East County Homeless Task Force (ECHTF.org). The measure includes an expenditure of $168,000 by the city.
In El Cajon, one in three persons of homeless individuals are chronically homeless; 73 percent are male. Of those, seven percent are military veterans, 39 percent have serious mental illness and one in four are either on parole or on probation after being incarcerated.
The regional statistics on homelessness very much reflect the homeless situation in El Cajon, he said. The overall plan includes funding an anti-panhandling campaign, access to homeless services, and community and regional cooperation. Included in the budget would be nearly $4,000 allocated to a homeless services app compatible with smartphone and flip phones, animal shelter kenneling and monies directed to a homeless outreach team (staffed by law enforcement) and $70,000 towards an individual designed as a housing navigator. A housing navigator is an individual who has an extensive background working with individuals that are chronically. homeless and/or homeless veterans, and has knowledge of working with public housing authorities and housing subsidies. Money would also be directed to develop and convert local motels into temporary housing facilities.
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