SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Tuesday San Diego Supervisors unanimously voted to create a "By-Name List" for the region's homeless population.
At Tuesday's Board Meeting, Supervisor Jim Desmond proposed a county-wide implementation of a database for our homeless population.
“It’s really difficult to address our homeless and it addresses our homelessness crisis when we don’t even know who is homeless in our community," shares Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.
This 'By-Name List' which the county has already implemented for our veterans, youth, and chronically-ill population, would log all consenting homeless individuals into a system.
It would include their name, health and housing history, their needs, and continually update it in real-time.
“Somebody homeless in Chula Vista might get services, might get a diagnosis, and then might move to Oceanside or some other part of the county, and then we have to start over from square one," shares Supervisor Jim Desmond.
But some, like homeless advocated Michael McConnell, believe the list, while it is beneficial, is only a first step.
“This is a tool in the toolbox to help us use resources more efficiently and effectively," he explains. "But without the resources to be used, it’s just a list.”
According to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness' 2022 Point in Time Report, there has been a 10% increase in homelessness since 2020.
With roughly 4,106 unsheltered San Diegans and 4,321 individuals in shelters, the Board of Supervisors hopes that this new system will better pair homeless individuals with the housing they need, and services.
But advocates think the list will only go so far.
“My fear is we are taking time to build a list when record numbers of people are dying on the streets," says McConnell. "We know that, we know who they are. How is this going to prevent that?”
The Board's next steps in kick-starting this program are working with county staff and service providers to examine costs, feasibility, and how they will implement it.
County Supervisors agreed that they want the program to be countywide, but may phase the program into different areas.
