Bills Aiding Homeless Sent to Governor

A pair of bills that would provide new services and protections for homeless people have been approved by both houses of the state Legislature and are on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk awaiting his signature or veto. AB 1733, introduced by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego; Assembly Member Brian Maienschein, R-San Diego; and Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva, D- Fullerton; would establish a fee waiver for homeless people who need to obtain a certified copy of their birth record from the Department of Public Health or a state identification card from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The bill solves a dilemma for many homeless people who need identification to access certain government programs, including those that provide housing, employment and nutrition.

AB 1806, introduced by Assembly Member Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica, would extend rights afforded to students in foster care to students experiencing homelessness, as well. Many homeless students were at some point in their past part of the state’s foster care system, and the two cohorts face similar challenges and have similar emotional and legal needs.

Local Innovation: Food Truck Program Feeds the Homeless

 

In the East Village, The Fresh food truck provides healthy, affordable meal options to the homeless. It not only accepts payment through EBT cards, but assists eligible clients to enroll in Cal Fresh.

This project is the brain child of local graduate student Teresa Smith, who launched The Fresh with funding from the University of San Diego’s Social Innovation Challenge. Smith is also the CEO of Dreams for Change, a nonprofit that provides transitioning services to homeless moving into permanent housing. The truck currently operates with a crew of volunteers inclusive of Dreams for Change recruits, but Smith hopes to employ the homeless once the program grows.

Federal Update: HUD Announces $7.8M to Homeless Veterans

The second round of HUD-Veterans Affairs Supporting Housing (HUD-VASH) funding to public housing agencies has been announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. $7.8 million will be made available to over a thousand homeless veterans, through housing and other services. For more information, click here.

2012 Annual Report

To learn more about our work, be sure to check out the 2012 Annual Report for the Campaign to End Homelessness in Downtown San Diego.

This report was graciously created by Oliver McMillan and Burritt Design.

Blitz Week 2012: Featured Video

The Leadership Team and collaborative partners of the Campaign to End Homelessness in Downtown San Diego successfully housed one hundred (100) homeless persons from the streets of Downtown San Diego in time for the winter holidays. Eighty-six (86) of these formerly homeless persons were enrolled and housed in just three days.

This effort, known as the Campaign’s “Blitz Week”, institutionalized unprecedented coordination between federal, county, and city partners to collaboratively come together and leverage resources. Dedicated permanent supportive housing and case management services were provided from the City and County of San Diego and the VA San Diego Healthcare Systems.  The San Diego Housing Commission and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency provided 75 federal housing vouchers paired with 75 slots of wraparound services, targeted to people with mental illnesses and substance abuse challenges. The VA provided 25 federal vouchers for housing and services targeted to homeless veterans.

The Campaign is demonstrating that, working together, the San Diego community can house, support, and end homelessness.