|
DATE: |
December 9, 2025 |
32 |
SUBJECT
Title
RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON ADVANCING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE (DISTRICT: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On November 2, 2021 (4), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted the San Diego County Framework for Ending Homelessness (Framework). A data-driven approach, which is one of the Framework’s five key drivers, seeks to ensure that consistent, reliable, and comprehensive information is used to guide decision-making, measure impact, promote person-centered program design, and demonstrate accountability across all five of the Framework’s strategic domains.
On September 9, 2025 (21), the Board directed the Chief Administrative Officer to explore the feasibility of providing a monthly memorandum to the Board detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county. As part of this action, the Board directed staff to return within 90 days with a draft memorandum and the data elements to track progress towards ending homelessness within the unincorporated areas of the county.
Following an analysis of the data points outlined in Board’s action on September 9, 2025 (21), the County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Housing and Community Development Services, Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) has determined that providing monthly updates on this matter is feasible and that the following actions can be taken to meet the Board’s objectives: a) Enhance data transparency by publishing a monthly data dashboard to OHS public webpage; b) Create and maintain a By-Name-List specific to the unincorporated communities to aid in data analysis; and c) Provide a quarterly staff report to the Board to capture analysis of the data including successes and barriers to housing for people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Today’s action requests the Board receive an update on feasibility of providing a monthly memorandum detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county. This item supports County vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically left behind, as well as to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe, and thriving communities. This item also supports the County’s Framework for Ending Homelessness and Housing for All vision.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Receive an update on the feasibility of providing a monthly memo to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
According to the Regional Taskforce on Homelessness, the 2025 Point-in-Time Count (PITC) identified 9,905 individuals living on the streets or in shelters in the San Diego Region. Of those, 178 unsheltered individuals were counted in the unincorporated areas of the county. Regionwide, this represents a decrease of 7% from the 2024 PITC. Of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness, 1% are families, 7% are veterans, 7% are youth, and 46% are chronically homeless. The County of San Diego (County) Regional Homeless Assistance Program supports up to 250 households from the unincorporated areas of the county each night through its hotel/motel program. In addition, the County currently supports up to 63 safe parking spaces every night through its Safe Parking Program programs (i.e., Magnolia Safe Parking, Bancroft Safe Parking, and Grantville Safe Parking). Data transparency promotes equity and plays a critical role in advancing the County’s Framework for Ending Homelessness by identifying disparities in access, outcomes, and service delivery across different populations and regions. Data informed decision-making impacts the allocation of resources, guides the design of targeted interventions, and promotes continuous improvement of programs and resources to ensure that the County’s most vulnerable residents have fair and accessible opportunities to achieve housing stability.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s proposed action supports the County of San Diego (County) Sustainability Goal #2 of providing just and equitable access to services and resources by focusing on vulnerable populations who need support to obtain and maintain affordable housing. The proposed action also supports County Sustainability Goal #4, which seeks to protect the health and well-being of everyone in the region. It does so by utilizing data to provide housing and supportive services to vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness, ensuring they exit homelessness quickly, remain stably housed, and do not return to homelessness.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. There will be no change in net General Fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
On November 2, 2021 (4), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted the San Diego County Framework for Ending Homelessness (Framework). One of the Framework’s five key drivers, a data-driven approach, seeks to ensure that consistent, reliable, and comprehensive information is used to guide decision-making, measure impact, promote person-centered program design, and demonstrate accountability across all five of the Framework’s strategic domains. Subsequently, on September 9, 2025 (21), the Board directed the Chief Administrative Officer to explore the feasibility of providing a monthly memorandum to the Board detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Following an analysis of the data points outlined in Board’s action on September 9, 2025 (21), the County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency, Housing and Community Development Services, Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) has determined that providing monthly updates on this matter is feasible and that the following actions can be taken to meet the Board’s objectives: a) Enhance data transparency by publishing a monthly data dashboard to OHS public webpage, b) Create and maintain a By-Name-List (BNL) specific to the unincorporated communities to aid in data analysis, and c) Provide a quarterly staff report to the Board to capture analysis of the data including successes and barriers to housing for people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated communities.
A) Publish a Monthly Data Dashboard to the OHS Webpage
OHS has created a draft monthly data dashboard titled, “Monthly Unincorporated Regional Homeless Services” (Attachment A), which includes elements currently being collected through the existing OHS data collection processes. The data dashboard will include the following elements requested by the Board: the number of homeless individuals, the number of individuals who exited homelessness to more stable housing options (e.g., emergency housing, permanent housing, family reunification, treatment or other long term care), the number of individuals in the Regional Housing Assistance Program (RHAP), the number of homeless individuals at the end of the month, and how individuals are exiting homelessness. Additionally, the dashboard will include data on outcomes for individuals in the County Safe Parking Programs as well as encampment abatement outcomes reported by the County Department of Public Works (DPW). OHS anticipates publishing the dashboard on a monthly basis starting January 2026.
Monthly data is compiled, and summaries of homelessness program outcomes are currently publicly posted on the OHS webpage. Efforts are currently underway to redesign the webpage to enhance usability and improve access to homelessness resources and services. The new Unincorporated Regional Homeless Services dashboard will be incorporated into the suite of homelessness program data available online, further supporting the County’s ongoing commitment to transparency in reporting on homeless program outcomes.
B) Create a By-Name-List for the Unincorporated Communities
The feasibility analysis included a staff recommendation to create a BNL for the unincorporated communities. Maintaining a BNL is an effective tool for collaboration and resource coordination to quickly connect individuals experiencing homelessness with available services and facilitate their enrollment into the Homeless Management Information System. OHS has previously implemented BNLs in other projects, such as the Leave No Veterans Homeless initiative and the Homelessness Outreach and Services Pilot Program in Lemon Grove and can build upon this proven strategy to create a BNL in the unincorporated area.
OHS leads homeless outreach activities in unincorporated communities in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, DPW, and the County Department of Parks and Recreation. The outreach activities are supported by RHAP as well as the County Safe Parking programs (i.e., Magnolia Safe Parking, Bancroft Safe Parking, and Grantville Safe Parking). These programs provide emergency housing options along with case management, support services, and housing navigation to permanent housing. OHS collects data on outreach activities as well as placements into emergency housing programs and the exits to permanent housing. Through the feasibility analysis, it was determined that this process can be enhanced by creating and maintaining a BNL for the unincorporated areas to aid in the identification of primary barriers to stable and affordable housing. The BNL will help enhance the data collection and help support future reporting on outcomes. The creation of a BNL for the unincorporated area is currently underway and completion is anticipated by March 2026.
C) Provide a Quarterly Staff Report to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
OHS also assessed the feasibility of providing the Board with a memo detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county. In conjunction with the publication of a monthly data dashboard highlighting outcomes in the unincorporated areas, staff will provide a report to the Board on a quarterly basis beginning in Spring 2026. The quarterly memo would report out on data analysis identifying gaps in services, barriers, and successes to housing people in the unincorporated communities. The quarterly reports would provide for more comprehensive data analysis covering longer timeframes, which would also aid in the timely identification of any patterns in addressing homelessness in the unincorporated areas of the county.
Today’s action requests the Board receive an update on feasibility of providing a monthly memorandum detailing progress on efforts to house every homeless individual in the unincorporated areas of the county.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support the County’s Framework for Ending Homelessness and Housing for All vision. This item also supports County of San Diego 2025-2030 Strategic Plan initiatives of Sustainability (Resiliency), Equity (Economic Opportunity), and Community (Quality of Life) by expanding access to homelessness services for individuals experiencing or at-risk of experiencing homelessness.
Respectfully submitted,
EBONY N. SHELTON
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - Draft Monthly Unincorporated Regional Homeless Services