Supervisor requests help in clearing homeless encampments

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson launched a memorandum Wednesday asking two county division leaders for extra assist in clearing homeless encampments alongside public roadways.

In a proper request despatched to Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins- Meyer and Sheriff Anthony Ray, Anderson urged them “to take motion mirroring current motion by the California Division of Transportation to take away encampments alongside public roadways that pose crucial security considerations.”

In accordance with a press release from Anderson’s workplace, the U.S. Court docket of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on April 27 upheld Caltrans’ clearing of an encampment within the Berkeley space.

Gov. Gavin Newsom “is taking motion to guard lives by clearing harmful encampments on roadways and the county ought to be working in line with our state companions,” Anderson stated.

The memorandum cites an encampment in an unincorporated space close to El Cajon, which is a part of Anderson’s district. Anderson added that the county Division of Homeless Options and Equitable Communities has spent two months trying to attach homeless individuals on the encampment to sources, and housed over 60.

Nonetheless, “we can not wait for somebody to be injured or killed by a automobile earlier than we take the subsequent step to clear the tents that stay on this busy, harmful road,” he added.

Robbins-Meyer, in a press release launched by the county Communications Workplace, stated the county “is reviewing choices to offer a secure and compassionate resolution in response to Supervisor Anderson’s request. Because the supervisor famous, 60 individuals beforehand within the space have already been related with housing.”

It was unclear if Ray had responded to Anderson’s memorandum.

Within the memo, dated Friday, Anderson wrote that regardless of numerous efforts, “the county continues to expertise challenges in managing regional homelessness, together with the current proliferation of a homeless encampment positioned alongside North Magnolia Avenue.

“Since March, we now have centered quite a few county sources and personnel, together with the involvement of housing, psychological well being, regulation enforcement and public works employees, to help these dwelling on this encampment,” the memo acknowledged. “We additionally deployed a mess of sources on April 29, conducting a large-scale outreach occasion to bolster our efforts to transition people from the road to housing.

“I’m requesting that your groups take motion just like that utilized by Caltrans to handle the continued well being and security dangers current on the North Magnolia Avenue encampment,” Anderson wrote.

Anderson and Undersheriff Kelly Martinez held a information convention on the encampment on April 29 in response to residential considerations.

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