Members of the City Council 32400 Paseo Adelanto*

South County SPA cities lack low-threshold emergency shelters resulting in more homeless encampments and individuals living on the streets. City Response: The City of San Juan Capistrano disagrees partially with this finding. Although there are relatively few low-threshold shelters located in the South SPA, it is unclear what, if any, correlation exists between the number of low-threshold shelters and the increase or decrease of encampments and homeless individuals living on the streets. In fact, the 2022 Point-In-Time Count (PIT) demonstrates a reduction in the South SPA's unsheltered homeless population as compared to the 2019 PIT despite the absence of new, low-threshold shelters added in the region.

The County of Orange and cities within Orange County have been inconsistent in collaboration for support of shelters and services, which has resulted in missed opportunities to end homelessness. City Response: The City of San Juan Capistrano disagrees partially with this finding. The City of San Juan Capistrano actively collaborates with the County, neighboring cities and other stakeholders in an effort to address homelessness. In addition to new services and facilities throughout the county that have resulted from this collaboration over the past several years, the City of San Juan Capistrano has approved two projects that will result in 60 units of local Permanent Supportive Housing. Construction of one of those projects is substantially complete and ready for occupancy (10 PSH units within a larger affordable Hon. Erick Larsh September 19, 2022 development), and the other will break ground before the end of the year (50 PSH units at the city hall site). With this in mind, the City would need tangible data or information from the Grand Jury relating to inconsistencies in collaboration in order to provide any further response related to this finding.

There are insufficient number of rental units available to those existing Emergency Shelters, resulting in the majority returning to homelessness when leaving the shelters. City Response: The City of San Juan Capistrano agrees with the finding. Although the City has not independently researched this topic on a countywide or city-by-city basis, the Grand Jury Report credibly concludes that there is a shortage of permanent housing in Orange County. As mentioned above, the City is actively advancing two projects locally in partnership with affordable housing developers that will add 60 units of Permanent Supportive Housing in San Juan Capistrano. It is also important to note that there is an insufficient number of affordable rental units available for all populations, not just those individuals experiencing homelessness.