A total of 180 people who were living in two local riverbeds have been moved into permanent or temporary housing since January, officials said Thursday.
These individuals, who found a home in the San Diego and Sweetwater riverbeds, were among several hundred identified during a county push to find them housing.
“We are moving people from the outdoors to housing. We are also protecting the waterway by cleaning up the embankments and clearing the debris left behind – 180 people relocated is a strong start, but we have more work to do,” said San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer in a news release.
In June 2023, the county, along with the cities of San Diego and Santee and Caltrans received $17 million from the state to clear encampments in the San Diego riverbed.
Volunteers for the nonprofit San Diego River Park Foundation conducted a three-day census along the river late last month, finding 423 people living between Ocean Beach and Santee.
“The number of people in our census area has grown over recent years but we are starting to see significant results as the $17 million Encampment Resolution Funding program is implemented,” said Rob Hutsel, the foundation’s CEO. “That impact is visible in Santee and now work is underway in the city of San Diego. This is being confirmed by the data we collect of the locations of people experiencing homelessness.”
He added though, that once people have been given shelter, the “work isn’t done as we will have many tons of trash to remove.”
Many of those making a home in the riverbeds, according to Lawson-Remer’s office, have been homeless for several years and are working as “survivalists.” They often lack trust in authority, so specialized teams are needed to make connections.
“Each person’s episode of homelessness is unique, and people build shelter and find community where they feel most safe,” said Kendall Burdett, outreach case manager at People Assisting the Homeless. “Many unsheltered people along the San Diego River seek isolation and do not typically seek out services or support.
An additional $5.1 million, also from the state, was granted in September 2023 to National City, Chula Vista and Caltrans to address an encampment in the Sweetwater River near Interstate 805 known as “The Jungle.”
