Reported by Voice of San Diego
With the Trump Administration seeking to upend U.S. homelessness policy, debate is raging over Housing First, the prevailing approach that prioritizes rapidly housing homeless people without any preconditions, such as sobriety.
Last year, San Diego joined a multi-state lawsuit seeking to block cuts to federal housing grants. Meanwhile, the cities of Encinitas and El Cajon have rejected grants because of what the cities view as onerous Housing First requirements.
None of the region’s mostly Democratic leaders voice outright opposition to Housing First. But they have made their preferences known in policy choices.
Homelessness strategies in the region’s three major cities focus on clearing encampments, providing temporary shelter and connecting homeless people with treatment and other services.
Building permanent supportive housing units is a relatively small component of each city’s efforts.
