Lemon Grove Supports Initiative to End Homelessness

Lemon Grove’s council members unanimously voted in support of the “Keys to Housing: Toolbox to End Family Homelessness,” and initiative presented to them during the most recent city meeting.

According to its website, the initiative is, “a broad, regional coalition committed to ending the solvable crisis of family homeless in San Diego County.”

City staff had recommended the city vote to support the group. According to a Lemon Grove resolution drawn up for the Sept. 3 city council agenda, each night, nearly 1,700 children in the San Diego County region live on the street, in shelters or in vehicles.

“Family homelessness has an impact on the educational achievement of school-aged children … over the past two years, homeless prevention and rapid re-housing services have proven effective in preventing and ending homelessness for nearly 2,000 households in the San Diego region.”

As part of the resolution, the city would participate in the following:

• Support the annual “Point-in-Time Count” efforts by announcing opportunities to volunteer through the City’s website or in some form of public notice.
• Support regional efforts by providing families with school-aged children information regarding outreach efforts and alerting them of the locations that help low-income families enroll in MediCal services.
• Endorse the creation of a “rolling registry” of unsheltered persons in the City by encouraging community groups to provide support to the effort.
• Facilitate the dissemination of information to partners by referring to websites such as RTFHSD.org or KeystoHousing.org.
• Preserve at-risk housing units and naturally affordable housing options in the community by distributing information about Federal, State, and local resources that provide housing development, rehabilitation, or other support.
• Endorse the development of Rapid Re-Housing opportunities to minimize the length of time households spend homeless by providing a letter of need/support for applications for Federal assistance.
• Encourage low-income household participation in mainstream resources by providing referral information at City facilities and on the City website.