As part of a new effort to connect homeless residents to permanent housing and supportive services, the city of Lemon Grove and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness will close a long-standing encampment Wednesday.
The encampment along North Avenue is one of several along California State Route 94 the city and RTFH are tackling using an $8.4 million Encampment Resolution Fund grant. The Lemon Grove project has already seen more than 30 people staying at the encampment placed into housing with case management and ongoing support.
A similar project targeted an encampment straddling the border of Oceanside and Carlsbad and showed success in getting people off the street, a RTFH statement read.
“Both projects demonstrate what’s possible when collaboration is rooted in compassion, coordination, and accountability,” said Tamera Kohler, CEO of RTFH. “Through the state’s Encampment Resolution Fund and strong partnerships with Lemon Grove and Oceanside, we’re not only housing people — we’re restoring safety, dignity, and community for everyone involved.”
Lemon Grove’s effort involved multiple partners, including local landlords, nonprofits and healthcare providers. Over eight weeks, teams “conducted outreach, retrieved essential documents, matched participants with available housing, and provided ongoing case management, including connections to employment, behavioral health, and mental health services,” the statement read.
“These ERF projects show that when jurisdictions and organizations commit to a shared goal, we can deliver immediate, life-changing results,” said Lahela Mattox, COO of RTFH. “What’s happening in Lemon Grove builds on the success we saw in Oceanside and Carlsbad — and it’s proof that when the system works together, we can end homelessness one community at a time.”
The Encampment Resolution Fund is administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and is intended to support local jurisdictions in “resolving” large encampments through permanent housing solutions.
The Lemon Grove project funding will sustain housing and services for the residents for two years.