Encinitas council extends Jewish Family Services safe-parking program through year-end

The City of Encinitas will keep a Jewish Family Services safe-parking program running through Dec. 31, 2025, after the City Council voted late Wednesday to direct staff to bring back a resolution extending the lease and program.

The council action follows a staff update on the Homeless Action Plan (HAP) that described outreach partnerships, a new navigation center and the city’s entry into the regional homeless-services data system. Councilmembers discussed how the safe-parking lot fits into the city’s broader, regional approach to homelessness and public safety.

Why it matters: The safe-parking program offers enrolled people living in vehicles a supervised place to park, and case management intended to connect them with services and housing. Council members stressed the program is one small piece of a larger local and regional system that also includes outreach, shelter beds and coordinated data to prioritize services.

What the council heard and decided

• City staff told the council it is developing a city-specific “by-name list” through the Regional Task Force on Homelessness’ Homeless Management Information System so providers can coordinate services and track outcomes.

• Jewish Family Service and its program director described the safe-parking program as a “pathway out of homelessness” that requires enrollment and case management. Nicole McCune, who identified herself as director of the safe-parking program, told the council the program serves people who are working toward stabilization and that funding is available through the end of 2025. She asked the council to approve the lease extension through December 2025.

• Kayla Levitt of Jewish Family Service said the program served older adults and families and described individual cases in which case management led to housing exits.

• City staff reported HAP-related actions: Encinitas participates in county outreach teams and PATH outreach (about two days per week), operates a contract-based partnership at the Buena Creek Navigation Center (BCNC) with the capacity to serve adults regionally, and has started HMIS onboarding to access more grant opportunities and create coordinated “by-name” case conferencing.

• The council voted to ask staff to prepare a formal resolution to extend the lease and continue the JFS safe-parking program through December 2025; the motion passed, and the council directed staff to return with the necessary paperwork.

Details and numbers mentioned

• Buena Creek Navigation Center (regional, in partnership with Vista): 24 rooms (48 beds total); Encinitas has exclusive use of six rooms (12 beds). Staff reported a year-to-date occupancy rate reported in 2024 as about 83 percent, an average length of stay of 49 days, 56 unduplicated residents served in 2024 and 13 permanent housing placements from BCNC that year.

• Jewish Family Services safe-parking program: since opening in February 2020 the program reported serving 224 unhoused individuals (city data presented by staff). For calendar year 2024 staff said JFS served 36 individuals with 16 positive exits to a housing solution; the program reported an average nightly occupancy and average length of stay figures as part of the update.

What council asked staff to do next

• Prepare a formal council resolution to extend the JFS safe-parking lease through Dec. 31, 2025.

• Continue working on HMIS access and the by-name list so that the city and service providers can coordinate on the most vulnerable individuals.

• Continue regional coordination with County outreach (PATH and the county office of homeless solutions) and the Sheriff’s HOPE/COPS teams to direct people toward BCNC and other placements.

Council and public reaction

Speakers in favor of extension included JFS staff and multiple residents who described the program as an important, low-barrier intervention for people who are temporarily living in vehicles. Other public comments and council remarks during the broader HAP discussion emphasized the need for stronger data, for a regional approach, for more outreach coverage and for targeted responses to people whose behavior poses safety concerns.

Ending note: The council left the broader homeless action plan discussion for a follow-up meeting but voted unanimously to extend the JFS parking program for the requested period and to have staff return with the formal resolution and additional data as the by-name/HMIS work continues.