Lake Elsinore reports 33 outreach contacts in December; year-to-date 179 exits from homelessness in 2024

Councilmember Johnson presented the Lake Elsinore homeless task force update, reporting outreach activity and annual outcomes for 2024 and explaining how the city tracks contacts.

Johnson said December's coordinated "trifecta" outreach'which includes the sheriff's quality-of-life team, code enforcement and the street outreach group SWAG'recorded 33 contacts. She said five of those were categorized as "new homeless" (people without prior contact in the coordinated entry system).

Johnson emphasized that contacts include anyone encountered without a roof and entered in the county's tracking system. She reported 179 "exits" for the year 2024, defined as individuals who accepted services and were exited from homelessness for the year.

On the city's count of chronic homelessness, Johnson said the city typically records between 100 and 160 individuals considered chronically homeless (homeless for a year or more). She noted that figures fluctuate and that the annual point-in-time count, run by the county, captures a single-night snapshot; the next count will be in January and volunteers are being recruited.

Johnson asked volunteers to register for the point-in-time count and praised the outreach team for ongoing work. She said the city will continue to track engagements and work to increase connections to mental-health services, which she said remain challenging to provide once people agree to help.

Less-critical details: Johnson announced the Cops 4 Kids golf tournament on May 2 and acknowledged remembrance events for Deputy Donnell Calhoun.