HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-11-13; Housing Commission; 02; Homelessness Action Plan Annual ReportMeeting Date: Nov. 13, 2025
To: Housing Commission
From: Chris Shilling, Homeless Services Manager
Staff Contact: Chris Shilling, Homeless Services Manager
chris.shilling@carlsbadca.gov, 442-339-2284
Subject: Homelessness Action Plan Annual Report
District: All
Recommended Action
Receive a report and provide any feedback on the Homelessness Action Plan 2024-25 Annual
Report.
Executive Summary
This report provides an update on the City of Carlsbad’s ongoing efforts to reduce
homelessness and its effects on the community, which are top priorities for the City Council.
The city continues to make steady progress toward the City Council’s homelessness goal,
implementing the actions in the City Council approved Homelessness Action Plan. Highlights for
the reporting period include a 66% increase in city-funded permanent housing placements and
a 26% decrease in dispatched police calls for service. However, recent trends also show a rise in
people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad for the first time as there was a 36% increase in
this category.
Explanation and Analysis
Background
The City Council has prioritized homelessness as one of its top city goals:
•In March 2021, the City Council established a priority goal for fiscal year 2021-22 of
reducing the unsheltered homeless population in Carlsbad.
•The City Council then included an updated goal to reduce homelessness and its impacts
on the community in the city’s five-year Strategic Plan.
•More recently, the City Council approved an updated Homelessness Action Plan on Feb.
7, 2023, which includes a comprehensive package of strategies and initiatives that the
city plans to carry out over the next five years to support this effort.
City staff present periodic reports to keep the Housing Commission, City Council and the
community updated on the city’s efforts to reach the city’s goal, using multiple measurements
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 1 of 28
to evaluate effectiveness. In these updates, staff provide information on the number of
individuals experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad, performance metrics and outcomes, and
updates on the Homelessness Action Plan and current program expenses.
These updates are intended to provide the Housing Commission, City Council and the
community with an opportunity to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the city’s
homelessness initiatives and discuss any potential concerns and potential adjustments.
2025 Point-In-Time Count data
The Point-in-Time Count is conducted annually to collect an unduplicated count of sheltered
and unsheltered individuals and families experiencing homelessness across the United States.
The count is conducted over a four-hour period in the early morning to collect data on
homelessness in the region. This year the count was conducted on Jan. 30, 2025.
The annual count is just one data source to gauge the year-over-year trends and approximate
the number of people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad. While it cannot provide a
complete picture on how many people experience homelessness in Carlsbad throughout the
year, it does provide a snapshot of the minimum number of homeless persons there are in
Carlsbad on a given day.
The following chart displays pertinent information for Carlsbad from the 2025 count.
2025 Point-in-Time Count
Data 2023 2024 2025
Change
2023 to
2024
Change
2024 to
2025
Carlsbad sheltered* 43 38 42 -11% 11%
Carlsbad unsheltered 60 112 101 87% -10%
Carlsbad total 103 150 143 47% -5%
North County coastal
sheltered 360 230 259 -36% 13%
North County coastal
unsheltered 423 596 510 41% -14%
North County coastal total 783 826 769 5% -7%
San Diego County region
sheltered 5,093 4,495 4,191 -12% -7%
San Diego County region
unsheltered 5,171 6,110 5,714 18% -7%
San Diego County region
total 10,264 10,605 9,905 3% -7%
* The number of sheltered homeless persons in Carlsbad only counts beds at the La Posada de Guadalupe
emergency shelter available for homeless men, because 50 of the 100 beds are restricted for farmworkers as
regulated by state funding that was received when the shelter was developed.
Additional context:
• The Point-in-Time Count is one data source to gauge the year-over-year trends and
provides a snapshot of the minimum number of homeless persons there are in Carlsbad
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 2 of 28
on a given day. The By-Name List also provides data trends for the approximate number
of people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad during specific points in time. We can
track increases and decreases throughout the year and year over year.
• The North County Coastal unsheltered population decreased from 596 individuals in
2024 to 510 individuals in 2025, a decrease of 14%.
• The North County overall area experienced a 16% decrease in the unsheltered
population from 2024 to 2025.
• While Carlsbad makes up approximately 3.5% of the region’s population, it has less than
1.8% of the region’s unsheltered population.
• Carlsbad makes up approximately 16% of North County’s population, but Carlsbad’s
unsheltered population makes up just 10% of the total North County overall unsheltered
population.
Annual report
The full report, attached as Exhibit 1, provides the annual data for July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.
Report highlights
• City programs interacted with 643 unduplicated people experiencing homelessness
during the period.
• City-funded programs (not including the joint Encampment Resolution Funding project
with Oceanside) helped transition 148 people into permanent housing compared to 89
people during the previous year. This is an increase of 66%.
• City-funded programs supported 84 people who were previously homeless with rental
assistance and housing stability services during this period.
• City programs helped 224 people enter non-permanent placements including 134
placements in temporary shelter, 29 placements in treatment programs, 8 placements
in medical facilities, 11 placements in transitional housing and 42 temporary placements
with family or friends.
• City programs provided homelessness prevention assistance to 122 people. These
prevention services were paid for with Community Development Block Grant funding
and general funds.
• The data shows continued improvements in reducing the impacts of homelessness on
the community when comparing the last two fiscal years.
o The Police Department has seen a 26% decline in dispatched calls for service
relating to homelessness between fiscal year 2023-24 and fiscal year 2024-25.
Dispatched calls for service include times a community member calls the Police
Department to report an issue related to homelessness. It does not include
proactive calls for service, when a police officer initiates an interaction without a
community member calling.
o There were 2,171 dispatched calls for service during fiscal year 2024-25
compared to 2,920 calls for service the previous fiscal year.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 3 of 28
o The number of proactive calls for service decreased by 57% from 4,054 in fiscal
year 2023-24 to 1,726 in fiscal year 2024-25.
o Overall, the number of total calls for service decreased by 44%, from 6,974 calls
for service in fiscal year 2023-24 to 3,897 calls for service in fiscal year 2024-25.
By-name list data
To better understand who is experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad and coordinate efforts with
community partners, the city now maintains a comprehensive database that lists by name all
individuals who are enrolled in any homeless service programs operating in the city. This list
includes all homeless-dedicated programs and is not limited to programs funded directly by the
city.
The list is used during case conferencing meetings to help the city better coordinate the efforts
of all partners. Data from the list also provides additional insight into the scope of
homelessness in Carlsbad. Adopting a by-name list has been a transition for all partners, and
city staff continue to streamline processes for using the data.
Carlsbad was the first jurisdiction in the county to use a city-wide by-name list generated from
the county’s Homeless Management Information System enrollment data. Some other cities
are now in various stages of adopting this or a similar practice. Many of the city’s community
partners have not historically used the system as the main database for their programs, so staff
have made improving the quality and timeliness of the system’s data an ongoing point of
emphasis. The better the community partners become at ensuring all people experiencing
homelessness in the city have an up-to-date record in the Homeless Management Information
System, the better the by-name list will be as a coordination and data tracking tool. The list is
only used internally and is not publicly available to protect confidentiality.
Summary of the data from the by-name list
The following data is from July 1, 2024, to Jun. 30, 2025:
• All programs operating in Carlsbad interacted with 717 unduplicated individuals
experiencing homelessness during fiscal year 2024-25. This is higher than the 643
unduplicated clients served by City of Carlsbad-administered and contracted programs
because it also includes those provided services funded by other sources, such as the
County of San Diego social worker in Carlsbad, the People Assisting the
Homeless behavioral health outreach worker and the YMCA transitional age youth
program.
• 165 individuals transitioned into permanent housing with the support of one or more
programs in Carlsbad (not including the joint Encampment Resolution Funding project
with Oceanside). This is more than the 148 unduplicated clients who transitioned to
permanent housing with the help of Carlsbad funded programs because this total
includes services funded by other sources such as the County of San Diego social worker
and the People Assisting the Homeless behavioral health outreach worker.
• The La Posada de Guadalupe shelter provided shelter to 188 unduplicated individuals
experiencing homelessness. This is an increase from 107 the previous year.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 4 of 28
• 191 unduplicated people who experienced homelessness in Carlsbad during this period
were new to the Homeless Management Information System, with no previous
enrollments in a homeless services program, compared to 140 people the previous year.
This is an increase of 36%.
• There was a 19% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness on the
by-name list from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. On June 30, 2024, there were 187
individuals experiencing homelessness on the list. And on June 30, 2025, there were 223
individuals on the by-name list.
• Of the 717 unduplicated individuals served by programs operating in Carlsbad from July
1, 2024, to June 30, 2025:
o 5% or 36 individuals were veterans.
o 37% (264) were seniors over the age of 55. 34% did not report any income. Of
those who reported having income, the median income was $15,600 per year.
This age group represents 41% of the people who had income but also had the
lowest average and median income of all populations.
o There were 32 families with 63 children. Of the 32 families, 6% did not report
any income. Of those who reported having income, the median income was
$27,000 per year. Overall, 9% of the individuals were under the age of 18.
o There were 38 transitional age youth, between the ages of 18 and 24.
o 43% or 274 people were considered chronically homeless, meaning they
reported experiencing homelessness for a year or longer with a qualifying
disability. 48% did not report any income. Of those who reported having income,
the median income was $15,600 per year.
Encampment Resolution Funding data
The city has received several time-limited competitive grants from the state designed to assist
local jurisdictions in ensuring the wellness and safety of people experiencing homelessness in
encampments by providing services and supports that address their immediate physical and
mental wellness and result in meaningful paths to safe and stable housing.
Carlsbad Village area grant
The city continued its Encampment Resolution-funded efforts targeting the Village area around
City Hall, Pine Park and Holiday Park. Since January 2024 the program has:
• Served 273 unduplicated people.
• Helped 111 people enter temporary shelter.
• Transitioned 74 people into permanent housing.
A number of additional people remain engaged with social workers and are working on housing
plans to end their homelessness.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 5 of 28
Vehicular Homeless Outreach Program grant
The city started its Vehicular Homeless Outreach Program in the Village, Barrio and beach
areas. The results since June 2025 include:
• 35 people on the original by-name list.
• 3 people accessed interim housing, and 1 person has moved in with family temporarily.
• 7 people have transitioned into permanent housing.
• 10 people are enrolled in a housing program and are searching for a housing unit
• 25 people remain enrolled with outreach and are working on their housing plans
Joint program with Oceanside
The city launched this partnership with the City of Oceanside in April 2024. The grant addresses
homelessness along Highway 78 and the Buena Vista Creek dividing the area into multiple
encampment zones. The first zone was closed in June 2025 and achieved the following results:
• 65 individuals on the original by-name list.
• 59 individuals moved into permanent housing with two more in the process.
• The encampment continues to remain clear and has not been repopulated.
*Since this data may also include people experiencing homelessness in Oceanside, due to the
joint nature of the project, this data is not included in the total city numbers provided above.
Fiscal Analysis
The total expenditures from all funding sources for fiscal year 2024-25 to support the
homelessness goal were $6,091,886. An overview is included in the attached report, Exhibit 1.
Next Steps
Staff will present the annual report to the City Council in December 2025.
Environmental Evaluation
The proposed action is not a “project” as defined by CEQA Section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines
Section 15378(b)(5) and does not require environment review under CEQA Guidelines Section
15060(c)(3) and 15061(b)(3), because the proposed action to report on the annual
Homelessness Action Plan data and the latest 2025 Point-in-Time Count results is an
organizational or administrative government activity that does not involve any commitment to
any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the
environment. Any subsequent action or direction stemming from the proposed action may
require preparation of an environmental document in accordance with CEQA or CEQA
Guidelines.
Exhibit
1. Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Report
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 6 of 28
REDUCING HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
In February 2023, the City Council approved an
updated Homelessness Action Plan, which
includes the programs and initiatives the city will
carry out over the next five years and the
measures that will be used to track progress.
During FY 2024-25, the City of Carlsbad achieved
several important milestones towards its goal of
reducing homelessness and its impacts on the
community, which are detailed in this report.
City Council Goal
Enhance the quality of life for everyone in Carlsbad by
adopting and implementing an updated Homelessness
Response Plan that addresses the complex needs of
individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing
homelessness in a compassionate and effective
manner and reduces the impacts of homelessness on
the community.
SUMMARY OF CITY-FUNDED PROGRAMS
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 7 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
2
The city uses a variety of data points to measure and track progress on efforts to reduce homelessness. The
data captured below is a summary from the Homeless Management Information System of clients enrolled in
services provided in the city during the time period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
People Experiencing Homelessness in Carlsbad
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 8 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
3
POINT-IN-TIME COUNT UNSHELTERED DATA
The Point-in-Time Count is an unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered people
experiencing homelessness across the United States, normally conducted during the last week
in January.1 Since 2005, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has required all
Continuums of Care who receive federal funding to provide a bi-annual count. The San Diego
County Region typically exceeds this requirement by conducting a count every year. The last
Point-in-Time count was conducted in January 2025.
1 National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2024, October 11). What is a Point-in-Time Count? - National Alliance
to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/resources/policy-information/what-is-a-point-in-time-count/
21
62
78
19 21
41
101
152
102 94
75
60
112 101
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024 2025
Carlsbad Unsheltered Point-in-Time Count
Point-in-Time Count
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 9 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
4
2025 Point-in-Time Count
Data 2023 2024 2025 Change from
2023 to 2024
Change from
2024 to 2025
Carlsbad sheltered 43 38 42 -11% 11%
Carlsbad unsheltered 60 112 101 87% -10%
Carlsbad total 103 150 143 47% -5%
North County coastal sheltered 360 230 259 -36% 13%
North County coastal unsheltered 423 596 510 41% -14%
North County coastal total 783 826 769 5% -7%
San Diego County region sheltered 5,093 4,495 4,191 -12% -7%
San Diego County region
unsheltered 5,171 6,110 5,714 18% -7%
San Diego County region total 10,264 10,605 9,905 3% -7%
NATIONAL AND LOCAL TRENDS
Homelessness continues to increase in the United States. Nationally, homelessness increased
by 18% from the 2023 to 2024 Point-in-Time Counts (HUD, 2025). However, California was able
to limit the overall increase in homelessness to 3.5%, a rate lower than 40 other states (HUD,
California Governor’s office). In San Diego County, 2025 saw the first year-over-year decrease in
homelessness since 2020. This trend applies to the City of Carlsbad as well. While the number
of people experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad has increased since 2020, 2025 saw a 4.7%
decrease in the overall number of people experiencing homelessness and a 9.8% decrease in
the amount of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness compared to 2024.
National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2025, September 4). State of Homelessness: 2025 Edition -
National Alliance to End Homelessness. https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-
homelessness/#report
Point-in-Time Count (cont.)
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 10 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
5
The table below shows how data compare between each quarter, along with cumulative data since July 2022.
The same person may have received more than one service and is reflected under each service category that
applies to them (for example, the same person may have received both a motel voucher and later placed into
permanent housing).
Fiscal
Year Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YTD
Households transitioned
to permanent housing
2022-23 35 31 19 20 105
2023-24 14 23 22 30 89
2024-25 49 33 28 38 148
Total persons
receiving services1
2022-23 247 184 236 183 565
2023-24 266 234 317 352 601
2024-25 290 242 339 387 669
Police calls for service2
2022-23 2,548 1,857 1,953 1,964 8,322
2023-24 1,928 1,857 1,787 1,402 6,974
2024-25 1,403 1,005 822 667 3,897
New shelter placements
2022-23 21 17 21 7 66
2023-24 10 11 15 29 65
2024-25 49 22 36 32 139
Shopping carts collected
2022-23 31 13 3 35 82
2023-24 73 53 64 71 261
2024-25 41 60 9 8 118
People served with
a motel voucher3
2022-23 10 13 10 15 48
2023-24 9 5 17 24 51
2024-25 43 18 23 18 91
1Total persons receiving services include the total number of people enrolled in a city-funded program during
the time period of this report. Annual and YTD numbers are deduplicated for individuals served over multiple
quarters.
2Carlsbad Police officers went into the field for 3,897 homeless-related calls for service during the FY2024-25,
of which 2,171 calls were in response to a specific request or complaint and 1,726 were proactive
department-initiated calls for service to help carry out city homelessness goals and enforce applicable laws.
3These numbers are unduplicated, as some stays overlapped fiscal quarters. FY2024-25 has transitioned to
reporting individuals instead of households to be consistent with other metrics reported on homelessness.
The YTD household figure for comparison purposes is 86 households.
City Programs Data by Quarter
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 11 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
6
$902,032
$140,344
$855,212
$86,805
$358,951
$43,050 $861,739
$63,410
$468,558
$1,968,840
$333,217.00
$9,728.00
General Fund - Contracts
CDBG
Encampment Resolution Funding, Carlsbad Village
Housing Trust Fund
PLHA
Opioid Settlement Funds
HUD
Resolution Strategies
General Fund - Housing & Homeless Services
General Fund - Police Department
Encampment Resolution Funding, Oceanside/Carlsbad
Began 4/2025Encampment Resolution Funding, Vehicular Outreach
Began 6/2025 ($9,728)
The total expenditures for fiscal year 2024-25 to support the homelessness goal were $6,091,886.
TOTAL BUDGET EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY FY 2024-25
TOTAL BUDGET EXPENDITURES BY FUNDING SOURCE
Expenditures
$1,870,611
$647,719 $309,236
$590,669
$1,968,840
$609,075
$95,736 Housing assistance
Shelter
Benefits and employment
Outreach and case management
Police Homeless Outreach Team
Homeless services
City services infrastructure
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 12 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
7
Homelessness in the United States is a complex issue influenced by many factors. Finding
solutions require the resources, expertise and cooperation of many different entities. The city’s
efforts are concentrated within three key areas it can influence and programs that will make
the biggest impact for Carlsbad: shelter and housing, outreach and access to services, and
public safety
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 13 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
8
Shelter and Housing
PERMANENT HOUSING
City-funded programs transitioned 148 people into permanent housing. Many of these placements were
assisted by multiple programs both city and non-city funded. In addition to city-funded programs, non-city
funded programs housed an additional 17 individuals for a total of 165 people moving from homelessness in
Carlsbad to permanent housing during fiscal year 2024-25.
PREVENTION
Limited funds are available from the Community Development Block Grant and the General Fund to assist
households at risk of entering homelessness. During fiscal year 2024-25, Interfaith Community Services,
Community Resource Center, and Brother Benno’s utilized $150,344 in funding to prevent 122 people from
entering homelessness.
LIMITED TERM HOTEL VOUCHER PROGRAM
From July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, 69 households, including 91 people, utilized the homeless services and
police department hotel voucher program. Out of the 69 households, the homeless services motel voucher
program served 36 throughout the year, connecting 20 of them to temporary or permanent placements
following their stay.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 14 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
9
Community Resource Center
The city partners with the Community Resource Center for a number of services. Under
Shelter and Housing, the city contracts for rapid re-housing, supportive permanent housing
services and homelessness prevention services. These contracts provide case management,
emergency rental assistance, security deposit support, ongoing rental assistance, landlord
advocacy, financial education, stabilization support, and referrals to higher levels of care.
The Continuum of Care rapid re-housing contract served 82 people, in 71 households, during
FY 2024-25 supporting those already in housing with stabilization as well as assisting 16
people secure a place to live during the fiscal year. Of the 71 households served, 29
households increased their income over the course of the year.
The Continuum of Care permanent supportive housing program is a joint program of the City
of Carlsbad and Community Resource Center utilizing HUD funding to provide supportive
services through the Community Resource Center to 21 households newly housed
through the city’s HUD funded rental assistance program. In it’s first year of operation,
the program served 27 individuals in 21 households.
The Encampment Resolution Funding provides rapid re-housing assistance for those living in
the encampment areas funded by ERF-2-R in Carlsbad Village, ERF-3-R along the 78-corridor
and ERF-3-R the vehicular homeless outreach program to support them in obtaining and
stabilizing in permanent housing. Since launching in January of 2024, the program
serving people in Carlsbad Village has provided services to 220 people, supporting 93
people with interim housing and 59 in finding a permanent place to live.
Data from the program along the 78-corridor is included on page 16 of this report for
informational purposes, but the outcomes are not included in the total city numbers since
this data may also include people experiencing homelessness in Oceanside and to avoid duplication with Oceanside reporting as well. The vehicular homeless outreach program was
not operational until June so there were no housing placements for this reporting period.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded emergency rental assistance
program through Community Resource Center supported 44 people with rent and utilities payments to prevent them from losing their home.
Catholic Charities
The Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego operates the La Posada de Guadalupe men’s
shelter in Carlsbad. The shelter has the capacity to serve 50 single men experiencing
homelessness.
The city provides funding for staff, operations, infrastructure improvement and supplies.
Funding is provided through the Permanent Local Housing Allocation and the State
Encampment Resolution Funding for Carlsbad Village and the 78 corridor. Catholic Charities
provided shelter to 188 individuals during FY 2024-25. The city is supporting Catholic
Charities’ efforts in amending the use of the farmworker beds to accommodate additional
shelter beds.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 15 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
10
Interfaith Community Services
The city partners with Interfaith Community Services for a number of services. Under Shelter
and Housing, the city contracts for homelessness prevention services within the city.
CDBG funds for emergency rental assistance provided 53 individuals with rental assistance to
prevent them from entering homelessness in Carlsbad.
Women’s Resource Center
The city partners with Women’s Resource Center to provide domestic violence services for
Carlsbad residents. The organization assists with shelter, hygiene kits, bus passes, food,
clothing, counseling and wrap-around services. Women’s Resource Center supported 77
clients from Carlsbad during FY 2024-25.
Brother Benno Foundation
The city partners with the Brother Benno Foundation to provide emergency rental
assistance, utility assistance, motel vouchers and recovery services for people experiencing
or at risk of homelessness in the City of Carlsbad. During FY 2024-25 the organization
supported 25 people with utility or rental assistance to prevent them from losing their
homes.
Alliance for Regional Solutions
The city contributes $40,000 annually from the Housing Trust Fund to the Alliance for
Regional Solutions - Bridge to Housing Network. The Alliance distributes funding to North
County homeless shelters including Haven House, Operation Hope, La Posada de Guadalupe,
Interfaith Family Shelter and the Interfaith Shelter Network. The city’s contribution helps the
shelters support operations and serve Carlsbad residents. The city continues to rely on the
shelter network to provide space for single women and families.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 16 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
11
Interfaith Community Services – Outreach Contracts
The city partners with Interfaith Community Services for a number of services. Under
Outreach and Access to Services, the city contracts with Interfaith Community Services to
provide outreach and case management.
The Homeless Outreach Team case management contract provides two licensed or master’s
level clinicians and one part-time licensed program manager. The ERF-2-R Carlsbad Village
contract provides one outreach social worker and one peer support specialist. The ERF-3-R
Vehicular Homeless Outreach Program contract provides two outreach social workers and
one peer support specialist. The final contract for outreach is the Substance Use Outreach
and Education contract that provides one substance use disorder counselor to provide
outreach and connection to treatment in the community. This contract is funded by opioid
settlement funds.
These programs provide outreach and case management in the field to people experiencing
homelessness in Carlsbad. The clinicians engage, assess, plan and refer to resources like
shelter, housing, medical care, public benefits, mental health assistance, substance use
treatment, and basic needs supports. This is often the beginning phase of a person’s exit from
homelessness. Securing housing is often a long, complex process that is impacted by many
factors.
Outreach and Access to Services
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 17 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
12
HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROVIDED
Services accepted Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 YTD
Case management sessions 85 9 46 68 208
Emergency shelter referral 136 95 144 56 431
Mail delivery 14 7 15 1 37
Transportation to services 16 5 14 6 41
Police transportation 9 0 1 3 13
Substance abuse treatment 29 5 4 5 43
Document assistance (ID, birth
certificates, etc.) 42 15 32 5 94
Permanent or bridge housing referral 109 125 153 51 438
Employment & benefits access
(medical insurance, CalFresh,
employment, VA benefits, etc.) 108 80 139 29 356
Information only 68 36 46 16 166
Food assistance 28 3 7 5 43
Hospital transport 0 1 0 0 1
Referrals to mental & physical health
care 73 38 30 24 165
Personal needs assistance (clothing,
phone, prescriptions, etc.) 71 39 41 39 190
Reunification travel assistance 44 16 35 4 99
Other (appointment coordination,
blankets, etc.) 16 18 29 18 81
TOTAL 848 492 736 330 2,406
1all numbers indicate services provided, not individuals served, individuals may receive multiple services within each category
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 18 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
13
Interfaith Community Services
The city partners with Interfaith Community Services to operate the hiring center which is
located at the Carlsbad Service Center.
Interfaith Community Services operates the Carlsbad Service Center, which provides
temporary job placement through the hiring center, housing case management, and
homelessness prevention services.
Community Resource Center
The city partners with the Community Resource Center to operate employment and benefits
specialist services. This contract supports households with benefits enrollment, job readiness
support, resume building, and employment connections.
The employment & benefits program supports households in accessing benefits and obtaining
employment. Sixty-eight (68) people received services during FY 2024-25 with fifty (50)
enrolled in employment-focused services. Twenty-three (23) individuals gained employment
with ten (10) reporting increases in compensation throughout the year. Thirteen (13)
individuals completed applications to pursue government benefits.
Whole Person Care Clinic
The city partners with Whole Person Care Clinic to provide medical services for the ERF-2-R
Carlsbad Village and ERF-3-R 78 Corridor areas.
Whole Person Care Clinic provides medical services in the encampment areas five days per
week. These contracts began providing services in January 2024 for ERF-2-R and April 2025
for ERF-3-R through the encampment resolution funding. Medical providers provide wound
care, disease diagnosis, prescription assistance, blood pressure monitoring and other medical
services in the field. They are also able to refer for follow-up testing and care.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 19 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
14
Public Safety
HOMELESS-RELATED CALLS FOR SERVICE
During fiscal year 2024-25, Carlsbad Police went into the field for 3,897 homeless-related calls for service,
which made up 3.5% of all calls for service. Of those, 2,171 calls were in response to a specific request or
complaint and 1,726 were proactive department-initiated calls for service to help carry out city homelessness
goals and enforce applicable law.
PERCENTAGE OF CALLS FOR HOMELESS-RELATED SERVICES
HOMELESS-RELATED STATISTICS BY CATEGORY
*These are statistics related to the homeless population compared to the general population in Carlsbad.
Mental health holds refer to incidents when an individual experiencing a mental health crisis is hospitalized
for 72-hour psychiatric care after they are determined by the police to be a danger to themselves or others.
Percentage of all calls for services** Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Homeless-related calls for services 5% 4% 3% 2%
Homeless-related arrests 23% 19% 14% 11%
Homeless-related citations 4% 4% 2% 0%
Homeless-related mental health holds 18% 23% 2% 2%
**Percentages are accurate as of the time of this report but may be updated in future reports as more
information becomes available.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 20 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
15
CARLSBAD FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONSES
Fire department calls related to homelessness 7/1-12/31 1/1-6/30 FY2024-25
Calls for service 396 340 736
Hospital transports 201 244 445
Percentage of all calls for service 6.3% 5.9% 6.1%
CITY SERVICES INFRASTRUCTURE
Urban Corps
The city contracts with Urban Corps of San Diego for trash abatement, litter and
encampment cleanup related to people experiencing homelessness. Urban Corps works very
closely with the city’s Public Works Department and the Homeless Outreach Team. They are
responsible for responding to and to triage any incoming cleanup requests based on health
and safety. This contract provides cleanup services 3 days per week, 52 weeks a year. During
2024-25, Urban Corps completed 56 encampment cleanups. When encampment cleanups are
not needed, the team provides regular cleaning services to areas commonly known to have
abandoned trash and a high prevalence of homelessness related debris.
Rocket John’s Portable Restrooms
The City of Carlsbad has a contract with Rocket John to provide restrooms and handwashing
stations and routine cleaning and maintenance in Carlsbad.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 21 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
16
ERF – 2-R - CARLSBAD VILLAGE
The City of Carlsbad applied for and received $2,358,408.94 from the State of California to focus
outreach and housing services on the Carlsbad Village area from July 1, 2023 through June 14,
2027.*
* ERF expenditure deadlines have been extended for certain rounds of funding, amounts remain the
same, but dates have been updated to reflect the new grant terms
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUNDING
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 22 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
17
ERF – CARLSBAD/OCEANSIDE 78 CORRIDOR
The City of Carlsbad in partnership with the City of Oceanside applied for and received
$11,398,466.52 from the State of California to focus outreach, medical, substance use, mental
health and housing services in the 78 corridor through April 18, 2028. The entire grant amount will
be spent in the grant area, with approximately $5.3m contracted by the City of Carlsbad.
Efforts began in Spring 2025 to connect with people living in the encampment. As the first targeted
section of the encampment was located in Oceanside, the City of Oceanside took the lead. Workers
from the City of Carlsbad’s Homeless Services department collaborated with local organizations to
offer support. Despite concerns that people who had been living in the encampment might be
hesitant to receive services, about 93% of people accepted the help that was offered and moved
from the encampment into housing. By the end of July 2025, all people living in the first zone had
been relocated, and 30 tons of debris were removed from the area. To date, the site remains clear
of encampment.
This ongoing joint effort by the cities of Carlsbad and Oceanside has already made a significant
impact. Fifty-nine (59) people who were formerly living in the encampment are currently in safe and
stable housing. Additionally, the clearing of the encampment has reduced public health and safety
impacts and restored areas of sensitive ecological habitat. The lessons learned from this successful
first step can serve to guide the City of Carlsbad’s continued joint efforts with the City of Oceanside,
which will continue through April 18, 2028.
For more information about the process and immediate impacts on the community, see local news
coverage:
Layne, T. (2025, May 28). An experiment to clear a homeless camp in North County seems to be working. Voice of
San Diego. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/05/28/experiment-to-clear-
homeless-camp-seems-to-be-working/
Warth, G. (2025, June 5). From encampment to housing: Coordinated effort in Oceanside first of its kind in county.
Regional Task Force on Homelessness San Diego. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.rtfhsd.org/from-
encampment-to-housing-coordinated-effort-in-oceanside-first-of-its-kind-in-county/
Nelson, B. (2025, July 6). A North County encampment shrinks as officials offer more than just shelter. San Diego
Union-Tribune. Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/06/a-north-
county-encampment-shrinks-as-officials-offer-more-than-just-shelter/
Nelson, S. (2025, September 23). Oceanside continues tackling homelessness along SR-78 corridor. Coast News
Group. Retrieved October 27, 2025, from https://thecoastnews.com/oceanside-continues-tackling-homelessness-
along-sr-78-corridor/
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUNDING
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 23 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
18
ERF – CARLSBAD VILLAGE - VEHICLE HOMELESS OUTREACH (VHOP)
The City of Carlsbad applied for and received $2,994,442.71 from the State of California to focus on
outreach and housing services for people living in vehicles in the Carlsbad Village area through June
October 14, 2028. This grant was approved by the City Council in 2025 and was fully staffed by June
of 2025.
People living in their vehicles often have different experiences and needs than those who are
unsheltered. A 2022 study conducted in Los Angeles found people living in their vehicles were more
likely to be women, people with larger households (including children), and less likely to be
chronically homeless, as compared to people living in shelters or public spaces.
City of Carlsbad employees in collaboration with community partners and the police department
established the initial list of people to serve with this program in the Winter and Spring of 2025. The
contract was fully staffed by June of 2025 and has been actively providing outreach and connecting
people with interim and permanent housing. The team meets on a weekly basis for care
collaboration and continues to refine the programs to best support people living in their vehicles. At
the time of this report seven people had moved into permanent housing from the initial list of
people identified. In addition to the seven in housing, ten were actively searching for a place to live
with housing assistance, two people had accessed interim shelter and one person had moved in
with their friend before relocating out of the area.
Giamarino, C., Blumenberg, E., & Brozen, M. (2022). Who lives in vehicles and why? Understanding vehicular
homelessness in Los Angeles. Housing Policy Debate, 34(1), 25–
38. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2022.2117990
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION FUNDING
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 24 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
19
Case Collaboration/Care Conferencing
City staff work closely with staff from city-funded programs and other partners working in
homeless services. Staff facilitate a monthly Carlsbad collaboration meeting, a monthly case
conferencing meeting, and bi-monthly and weekly case conferencing meetings for the ERF
grants to ensure all outreach efforts are effectively administered and coordinated. This
ensures that the most complex cases are prioritized and served. The Carlsbad collaboration
meeting provides training and resource coordination. Trainings and coordination have
included: affordable housing training, shared housing, mental health resources, substance
abuse treatment programs, employment and educational services, basic CPR & AED training
in coordination with the Carlsbad Fire Department and many other topics. The case
conferencing meetings are attended by grant partners and direct service providers within
Carlsbad that are a part of the Homeless Management Information System so that
coordination of the most acute cases can be supported effectively by all participating
providers. Community partners report appreciation for the level of cohesion and
collaboration that exists within the agencies working on homelessness issues in Carlsbad.
By-Name List
To better understand homelessness in Carlsbad and coordinate efforts, the city maintains a
comprehensive list of all individuals enrolled in homeless services programs within the city.
The list is generated directly from the Homeless Management Information System and is used
by the city to coordinate the work of all partners providing homeless services in Carlsbad. The list had 717 unique individuals enrolled in services during fiscal year 2024-25 which does not
include those already in housing and continuing to receive stabilization services. This number
includes enrollments in all city-funded or administered programs and non-city funded
programs (County of San Diego, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) and the YMCA
Transitional Age Youth program). During the year, one hundred and ninety (191) individuals entered the list for the first time who had not previously been enrolled in any homeless
services program within the San Diego County Homeless Management Information System.
City Programs and Partnerships
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 25 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
20
Additional Collaboration
The city collaborates with many stakeholders in the community to reduce homelessness.
Homelessness impacts all aspects of a community, so it truly takes a village to solve it.
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 26 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________
21
The following success story is a real person experiencing homelessness in Carlsbad and connected to
community services and housing as a result of the city’s homelessness efforts. This is their story, which they
have given the city permission to share. Their name has been changed to protect their confidentiality.
Meet Robert
Robert was chronically homeless in Carlsbad for many years, interacting with homeless outreach but always
experiencing setbacks that kept him from ending his homelessness. Because the outreach team kept him
active in the homelessness database connected to housing programs for people experiencing homelessness
and made sure he was on the local list for a housing voucher, he was finally referred to Carlsbad’s new HUD-
funded Permanent Supportive Housing Program operated by Community Resource Center.
Community Resource Center and the Carlsbad Housing Agency supported Robert in navigating the process
to receive his voucher and successfully lease his apartment. His case manager then worked with him on a
housing stability plan which prioritized obtaining his vital documents and handling fines that he had received
while homeless. This allowed him to finally have his driver’s license reinstated.
Robert told his case manager that when his first utility bill arrived with his name on it, he finally felt like he
was human again. Robert continues to work with his case management team to maintain his housing and find
ways to connect with his local community and other social supports.
What worked
• Outreach stayed in contact with Robert and made sure he remained on housing waiting lists.
• New supportive housing opportunities were created within the city to meet the needs of people who
are chronically homeless.
• Community Resource Center was able to work with the Carlsbad Housing Agency to help Richard
find an apartment to live in.
• Case Management helped Robert stabilize and take the steps needed to retain his apartment and
thrive in the community.
Success Stories
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 27 of 28
Reducing Homelessness
Annual Progress Report: July 2024 – June 2025________________________________________ 22
Staff have experienced some challenges around the implementation of the City Council’s goal to reduce
homelessness and its impacts on the community. Some of these include:
Staffing
In the first half of FY 2024-25, the city’s homeless services team experienced staffing shortages due to staff
turnover. City contracts have also had varying challenges in maintaining social service staff members and
hiring new staff members.
Limited shelter and housing resources
There remains limited emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, senior housing, and affordable
housing for extremely low-income households in North County and San Diego.
Limited options for women and seniors
Staff are collaborating to identify accessible shelter and housing options for seniors, women and families.
General communal shelters are not always an option due to extremely limited availability, gender or children
restrictions, health conditions, safety concerns, and mobility needs. Staff across multiple agencies report
difficulty securing shelter options for seniors and single women.
Funding reductions and uncertainty
The government shutdown and potential changes to the HUD Continuum of Care program have created a
significant amount of uncertainty about the future of homeless services programs and other basic needs
support programs in the community.
New to the system
From fiscal year 2023-24 to fiscal year 2024-25 there was a 36% increase in people who experienced
homelessness in Carlsbad being new to the Homeless Management Information System, with no previous
enrollments in a homeless services program. This indicates an increase in people unable to maintain housing.
City staff have several projects on the horizon:
•The Housing & Homeless Services Department has begun collaboration meetings with the faith
community as identified as an action item in the Homelessness Action Plan to better connect and
support their work around homelessness
•Staff continues to work with Catholic Charities and Housing and Community Development to fully utilize
capacity at La Posada de Guadalupe
•The 2026 Point-in-Time Count will be held on Jan. 29, 2026 at 3:30am convening at the Harding
Community Center, the volunteer registration portal is on the RTFH website
Challenges and Updates
Upcoming Work
Nov. 13, 2025 Item #2 Page 28 of 28
Nov. 13, 2025
Chris Shilling, Homeless Services Manager
Housing & Homeless Services
Jessica Klein, Senior Program Manager
Housing & Homeless ServicesREDUCING HOMELESSNESS
ANNUAL REPORT
July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
2
TONIGHT’S TOPICS
Presentation
Annual Homelessness Report
2023
New Homelessness Action Plan
3
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
Plan Structure
Initiatives that support each
strategy.
Key strategies for how the
city will make impacts within
the main areas of focus.
InitiativesStrategies 4
Report Highlights: City-Funded Housing
Placements
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
5
FY 2024-25
89
FY 2023-24
148
66%
AT
A
G
L
A
N
C
E
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
6
AT
A
G
L
A
N
C
E
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
7
AT
A
G
L
A
N
C
E
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
8
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
AREAS OF FOCUS
Shelter and
housing
Outreach and
access to services Public safety
9
Shelter and Housing
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
10
Bridge Motel Vouchers
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
11
Outreach and Access to Services
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
12
Police Calls for Service
3,897 calls
1,726 officer initiated
2,171 dispatched
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
13
Police Calls for Service
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
14
Fire Department Calls
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
15
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
16
Encampment Resolution- Village
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
17
Encampment Resolution- Vehicles
Moved into housing
35
People On By-Name List
7
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
18
Encampment Resolution- 78 Corridor
2025Point-in-Time Count
•Unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered
•Required by federal housing department
•Held this year in January 2025
HOMELESSNESS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
23
HOMELESSNESS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
Change
from 24-25
Change
from 23-24202520242023Data
11%-11%423843Carlsbad sheltered
-10%87%10111260Carlsbad unsheltered
-5%47%143150103Carlsbad total
13%-36%259230360North County Coastal sheltered
-14%41%510596423North County Coastal unsheltered
-7%5%769826783North County Coastal total
24
2025Point-in-Time Count
25
HOMELESSNESS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
Year over year unsheltered count data
Point-in-Time Count
21
62
78
19 21
41
101
152
102
94
75
60
112
101
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024 2025
Unsheltered PITC and BNL 2025
HOMELESSNESS SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
Questions
HOMELESSNESS ANNUAL REPORT
27