Council hears update on lodging‑establishment service‑provider program; staff reports fewer calls for service

No action was requested, but city staff told the council the service provider program has generated data and operational changes that staff say correlate with fewer calls for emergency responders at problematic lodging establishments.

Noah Alvey, deputy director for community development, said the program requires service providers to obtain a special operations license and submit monthly reports including participant counts, locations, discharges and average housing rates. He said 10 providers have become licensed during the program’s first 11 months; staff has worked with five lodging establishments that previously generated high call volumes.

Alley said the city’s analysis found site‑level reductions in aggregate calls for police and fire ranging from about 25% to 59% after the lodging operators implemented operational improvements and in some cases updated conditional use permits. He described staff efforts such as on‑site meetings, suggested security and landscaping improvements, and revised operations manuals to encourage operators to address problems without requiring police responses.

Councilmembers asked whether the reduction in calls could reflect underreporting or fewer residents at those sites rather than improved conditions. Alvey said the presented numbers were aggregate police and fire calls and that staff can provide more detailed analyses — including violent‑crime metrics — if the council wants that follow‑up.

One councilmember noted a separate county housing program showing a decline in county‑housed individuals in El Cajon (the transcript gives figures of 131 a year earlier and 89 this week, described as ~24% reduction), which staff said may also affect call volumes.

The council praised staff for proactive outreach and asked for an additional report containing independent crime measures if available. No vote was taken; the item was for feedback only.