As the race for California governor narrows, homelessness remains one of the state's biggest issues.
In North County, Oceanside and Carlsbad both saw jumps in their unhoused populations, according to the most recent Point in Time Count.
Sofia Hughes, a Management Analyst with the City of Oceanside, sees firsthand what state resources can do, especially for those without a home.
"PLHA which funded the construction of our shelter, and HHAP, which funds our social work team that addresses and prevents homelessness within the community. We also receive the Encampment Resolution Funding or ERF program, which has helped us build one of the most successful direct encampment to housing programs in the state of California," Hughes said.
That program was directed at the Buena Vista Creek, along the border of Oceanside and Carlsbad.
ABC 10News was there the day the Point in Time Count showed an almost 14 percent increase in Oceanside's homelessness; And the same day, we were shown what's left of one of the biggest encampments the city had seen.
The Buena Vista Creek went from being a tent-filled ravine to something nearly unrecognizable.
"There was little tent neighborhoods, and there was, you know, almost avenues and boulevards and a main street. And now it's really grown over and you can kind of see where nature is taking back," Hughes said.
Programs like the Encampment Resolution Fund have brought many people to permanent housing, according to Hughes, who hopes the next governor will keep the momentum going.
"I would like to see the state prioritize building affordable housing with reserved pathways for individuals already experiencing unsheltered homelessness," Hughes said.
Only time will tell if campaign promises will turn into actual progress.
