The City of Vista is moving forward with the formation of a strategic homeless prevention plan. With almost 300 homeless people roaming the streets and living in encampments in Vista alone, the problem of homelessness has long been an issue.
This comes after the City Council meeting on June 3, in which council members determined five areas of focus for the next meeting in September: reduction, prevention, improving quality of life, enhancing community outreach, and legislative outreach.
Currently, the Republican-controlled City Council works with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department on law enforcement. It is now considering bringing on H.G. Consulting Group to help develop the plan and form a Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). While Carlsbad and Oceanside each have their own versions of HOT, Vista city staff may not decide on the same structure.
The city is looking into different service providers, law enforcement, and financial assistance programs. Other proposals include hiring a homeless coordinator, creating a comprehensive housing and jobs program, incentivizing more affordable housing, and addressing root causes like drug addiction.
There has already been a significant decline in homelessness rates. In 2018, there were almost 500 homeless individuals in Vista. While cities in North County have had issues with funding for such efforts, the 2019-2020 state budget allocates up to $250,000 for Vista to continue its program, an optimistic sum to keep the plan in motion.
Photo by Mussi Katz via Flickr
