The city of Lemon Grove and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness announced Monday an $8.4 million state grant aimed at addressing homelessness along the State Route 94 corridor.
The grant is expected to impact the rehousing of 102 unsheltered individuals who have been living in the area just off the highway along North Avenue.
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WATCH HERECalifornia has made it a priority to get homeless encampments off city streets, and this grant is an example of the state putting real money behind those efforts.
"This is a game changer," Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow said. "It means we now have resources, not just the heart and well wishes, but the resources to make change.”
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SIGN UP A significant portion of the grant will be allocated toward costs in helping individuals transition into stable housing, such as rental subsidies, landlord engagement and housing retention services. Additional funds will be used to support outreach efforts, case management, substance abuse, mental and behavioral health, and services to ensure long-term housing.
Snow said that a full-scale plan is what's needed.
"That means real help, not just Band-Aids. Right now, we are just moving encampments from one location to another. It’s Whack-A-Mole. That’s not a solution and not OK. This brings us real services," Snow said.
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Tamera Kohler, CEO of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, said, "It is not enough to get someone into housing, but we also must make sure they do not return. That means wrapping around support and housing retention, which is so critical. This $8.4 million grant will get us there.”
In making the homeless resolution grant announcement, Snow said, "The encampment resolution program is not a handout, it’s a hand up.”
Before being selected, Lemon Grove had to apply for this state grant in what city and regional officials characterized as a "competitive" process for the funding. Once the funding begins, Lemon Grove will have 2 years to spend the money.
