San Diego County has been awarded a $5.1 million grant to support individuals experiencing homelessness in the region, specifically targeting an area along the Sweetwater Riverbed known as "The Jungle." The funds come from the State's $240 million Encampment Resolution Fund, which aims to help local jurisdictions resolve encampments and provide permanent housing and service connections, as per the County of San Diego.
More state funds are heading to San Diego County to help people experiencing homelessness along the region’s riverbeds. https://t.co/TsWW85MFD4
— SanDiegoCounty (@SanDiegoCounty) September 26, 2023
Under the leadership of San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas, the County's Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities collaborated with the City of Chula Vista, National City, and the California Department of Transportation in submitting the grant application. This marks the second grant secured by a County-led partnership to address homelessness in San Diego. In June, the County, alongside the City of San Diego, the City of Santee, and the California Department of Transportation received nearly $17 million from the State's Encampment Resolution Fund. Outreach teams in the San Diego riverbed have already started assisting people in finding housing, as well as cleaning up the riverbed.
According to the County News Center, this new grant will support an estimated 75 individuals experiencing homelessness in the Sweetwater riverbed. Barbara Jiménez, County Community Operations Officer, expressed eagerness to work with partners in the Sweetwater riverbed area to better understand people's unique circumstances and needs. "I'm confident that working together, and with these new resources, we will move more people into housing," Jiménez said.
Over the next few months, the County will finalize planning and collaborate with partner entities to gather the necessary staff and resources for the Sweetwater Riverbed program. This initiative demonstrates the County's ongoing commitment to reduce homelessness and improve the living conditions for people experiencing homelessness in the region.
