Mark Cardenas, founder of Pathfinders for Hope, told the Vallejo Human Relations Commission on Oct. 22 that a survey of 220 unsheltered men found a 50% increase in Vallejo’s unsheltered male population over two years and widespread barriers to services.

Cardenas described the survey as “hard data from people living it every day” and said it documents a jump from roughly 450 to 682 unsheltered people — an increase of 232 — and that 74% of surveyed men reported trying to get help and being denied. He told commissioners that 86% of respondents reported current alcohol or drug use and that 67% said they would stop substance use if stable housing were available. Cardenas said top barriers to help reported in the survey were negative experiences with agencies (136 respondents, 60%), transportation (132 respondents, 58%), lack of information (88 respondents, 39%) and eligibility requirements (87 respondents, 38%).

“The city of Vallejo is not just failing to solve homelessness. It’s actively making it worse,” Cardenas said. “Sweeps, forced removals, destruction — tents, clothes, ID, birth certificates, medications — everything people owned.”

Commissioners voted unanimously to place a full data presentation from Pathfinders on a future agenda after Cardenas asked for a longer hearing of the group’s report. The motion to agendize the presentation carried with three commissioners absent; the chair announced the item would be scheduled for a future meeting.

Separately, commissioners discussed ongoing work connected to first-response transformation and the city’s iHeart mobile crisis initiative. A commissioner reported that researchers will present consolidated findings in January after a final Spanish‑language community forum scheduled for Nov. 5.

The presentation and the vote to agendize it were procedural; no policy or funding decision was made at the Oct. 22 meeting. Commissioners and staff signaled an interest in reviewing Pathfinders’ full report and in clarifying how any findings would inform outreach, coordination with iHeart and engagement with the city attorney on governance and resident protections.

Ending: The commission closed public comment and moved to consent and other procedural business; the full Pathfinders report will return as a scheduled agenda item for a future meeting.