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City reports drop in unhoused count and pilots that moved people into housing; council plans fall workshop
Summary
Staff reported a decline in Lincoln’s point‑in‑time count to 43 and estimated about 25 currently unsheltered, credited a pilot housing project that moved four people off creek encampments and said the city will return in the fall to workshop sustaining the pilot and potential ordinance changes.
City staff gave an update on homelessness during the July 23 council meeting, reporting the city’s January point‑in‑time (PIT) count attributed 43 people to Lincoln and that ongoing outreach work suggests about 25 individuals were currently identifying as homeless. Staff credited a small pilot project that placed four people into trailer units, and said enforcement plus increased outreach had reduced visible encampments.
Staff emphasized that arrests or citations are not a practical solution for many reasons, including costs of booking (staff cited booking costs approaching $1,000 per arrest including processing and site release), limited jail capacity and limited prosecution of camping citations by the county district attorney. Instead, the city’s approach emphasizes outreach, engagement via a specialized response team, case work, and diversion strategies tied to services and housing referrals.
Council asked staff to bring back a fall workshop to discuss sustaining the pilot trailer program, funding and staffing options, potential changes to camping ordinances and development of diversion programs with the district attorney’s office. Staff said a webpage with homelessness information and updated policies will be posted soon.
