CITY OF GROVER BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 12
Placement: Business
Meeting Date: 8/25/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
Jim Munro, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Homelessness Response Update
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an update on the City’s response to homelessness including implementation of camping ordinance, partnership with the 5Cities Homeless Coalition on temporary emergency housing facilities, and future challenges affecting homelessness response; and provide direction to staff regarding a potential change in the City’s camping ordinance.
BACKGROUND
Homelessness has been a long-standing issue for the City given the complexity and challenge of this issue not only in Grover Beach but throughout the county and state. This issue was previously identified by the Council as a key priority for the City through the establishment of Housing and Homelessness as a Major City Goal from FY 2021-22 through FY 2024-25 and related work program initiatives. Homelessness has also consistently been identified by the public in previous community surveys as one of the top issues facing Grover Beach.
Staff brought forward numerous updates to the Council from 2021 through 2024 to provide information about the City’s response to this issue. The most recent update was on April 8, 2024 summarizing the first year of implementation for the City’s camping ordinance adopted in March 2023, reporting the progress of the “Cabins for Change” temporary housing facility, and presenting a request from the developer of the new “Balay Ko on Barca” temporary housing to waive approximately $49,000 in City Development Impact Fees (DIF). The Council adopted a resolution approving this waiver using General Fund reserves to offset the loss of DIF revenue.
Building on the April 2024 agenda item, this report will provide a subsequent update on the implementation of the City’s camping ordinance and share the progress of both the Cabins for Change and Balay Ko on Barca temporary housing facilities operated by the 5Cities Homeless Coalition. The report will also highlight future challenges affecting the ability of local governments to address homelessness particularly regarding funding for housing and services. Lastly, staff is seeking Council direction on a potential change in the City’s camping ordinance.
Camping Ordinance Implementation
On March 27, 2023, the Council adopted an ordinance to address camping and vehicle habitation on public lands and private property. The ordinance set regulations relating to time, place, and manner of camping and provides 72 hours of noticing before an encampment must be removed.
Staff Report: Homelessness Response Update Page 2
August 25, 2025
Prior to the ordinance, the City experienced unregulated and unauthorized camps in various areas of the City including public parks, wooded areas along El Camino Real, and many other areas on public and private property. Following adoption of the ordinance, the Police Department has led the City’s efforts to educate community members of the ordinance, provide resources, and conduct necessary enforcement efforts. The department’s efforts, involving both civilian Community Service Officers and sworn Police Officers, focus on encouraging voluntary compliance before citations are issued and/or camps are removed. Consistent with the City’s longstanding commitment to addressing this issue with compassion and order, the Police Department has worked with the Public Works Department to develop a plan regarding enforcement and removal of camps. The Police Department also works with 5CHC on outreach to homeless individuals in these areas about services and housing.
Since March 2023, the Police Department has issued 75 citations related to the camping ordinance. Additionally, over 50 Public Works crew hours have been used to remove 25 truckloads of debris from public lands within the city. In addition, the City has contracted with debris hauling companies for debris removal and has spent $122,367 for these services and storage of personal property. On average, there are between zero and three campsites observed, contacted, and tagged each week within the city, which is down significantly from 30 to 40 camps prior to the ordinance. Most of these camps are located in areas not visible to the public.
The camping ordinance has been an effective tool in helping to maximize outreach while also helping to minimize the number and impacts of encampments within the city. While there are still periodic encampments in certain locations in the City’s open space areas, the extent of such encampments is significantly lower than before along with the number of complaints from residents, most notably in the El Camino Real area. The appearance of the City’s open space areas has also improved which points to a potential long-term opportunity for open space recreational access if funding for trail planning and development was available. In the near term, the Police Department will continue its successful implementation approach for the camping ordinance and will work with the Public Works Department on periodic cleanup work as warranted.
At this time, staff does not see a need for additional fencing along the open space area given the volume of activity and the cost of the type of fencing that could not be cut or scaled such as the fencing installed along Charles and Margarita avenues which cost approximately $30,000.
However, staff would recommend that the Council consider revising the noticing timeframe in the camping ordinance to decrease the amount of time to remove a campsite from 72 hours to 48 hours. The 72-hour period was consistent with federal case law at the time of ordinance adoption though this case law has since changed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s City of Grants Pass v.
Johnson decision which gives public agencies more latitude for removing encampments on public property. Requiring removal of a tagged campsite with a 48-hour period would enable the Police and Public Works departments to have a faster response to encampments and further the City’s goal of reducing the number and impacts of encampments within the city. This time period aligns with guidance from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness which recommends a minimum of 48 hours notice before encampments are removed. Pending Council direction, staff would bring an ordinance with this change to the Council at a later date.
Cabins for Change and Balay Ko on Barca Temporary Housing Facilities In December 2022, the “Cabins for Change” temporary emergency housing facility opened in Grover Beach. This 20-unit facility was developed and is operated by the 5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC) on County property at 1523 B Long Branch Avenue behind the County Health Agency campus. The facility includes bathing and bathroom facilities, administrative offices, communal spaces, and a storage area. The site is not a drop-in shelter but a reservation-based Staff Report: Homelessness Response Update Page 3
August 25, 2025
temporary housing facility with case management services and onsite facility management and security. The facility is intended to help clients find more permanent supportive housing within 90 days though more time may be needed in some cases. Subsequently, in July 2024 the “Balay Ko on Barca” temporary emergency housing facility opened at 955 South 4th Street providing another 30 housing units and similar level of management and monitoring as Cabins for Change. The development and initial operation of the facility was funded by the Balay Ko Foundation and the facility is located on City property leased to 5CHC for a 55-year period following the City’s purchase of this property with American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Below are key metrics of the Cabins for Change and Balay Ko on Barca facilities to date:
• 230 total participants with 108 participants (47%) from Grover Beach • 3.1 years was the average amount of time during which participants were unhoused before entering the program with 48% of participants being chronically homeless • 106 participants (58%) have graduated to housing
• Average length of stay upon exit is 191 days
• 181 participants connected to health insurance and health care services • 90% of participants have income: 23 are currently employed; 24 currently receive cash benefits (SSI, SSDI, Social Security)
• 585 individuals currently on the waitlist
These facilities are the first uses of small cabins as shelter sites in the county and the first temporary housing facilities of any kind in South County. The success of the initial Cabins for Change facility provided the impetus for 5CHC to create the Balay Ko on Barca site with 30 additional units. The City would continue to urge other communities throughout the county to expand the number of temporary housing units as more units countywide will be needed to provide sufficient housing for unhoused individuals. An example of this expansion is the “Welcome Home Village” in San Luis Obispo currently under construction which will provide 54 transitional housing units including 14 interim and 40 permanent units.
Future Challenges Affecting Homeless Response
The City has made substantial progress in addressing homelessness over time working diligently with 5CHC and other partner agencies including the County. The County has long prioritized homeless response as a County priority and adopted the San Luis Obispo Countywide Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness in April 2022. The plan identified 12-month, 3-year, and 5-year objectives to reduce the number of homeless individuals in the county by 50% over a five-year period. The first three years of this plan focus on sheltering capacity, homeless prevention, data sharing, and expanded case management, mental health, and substance abuse services along with improved regional coordination. The City is working with other cities and the County on ways to better identify and highlight actions in each jurisdiction to respond to homelessness and seek ways to improve collaboration on this issue throughout San Luis Obispo County.
However, the successful work of the City and partner agencies in addressing homelessness in Grover Beach has been predicated largely on one-time funding mostly from the State and Federal government along with County government and some City General Fund funding. This one-time funding has included Community Development Block Grant funding which the City has periodically received on behalf of 5CHC to support homeless services and prevention activities.
Staff Report: Homelessness Response Update Page 4
August 25, 2025
Multi-Year Goals
☒ Public Safety and Community Services ☒ Economic Development and Housing ☐ Community Infrastructure ☐ Financial and Organization Sustainability Council Priorities
☐ Water & Wastewater Infrastructure ☐ Community Engagement Going forward, ongoing funding will be needed to continue the operation of these temporary housing facilities though conversely funding for homeless services and housing continues to be reduced at both the state and federal level. As an example, the FY 2025-26 State budget does not include funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) program in FY 2025-26 given the State budget deficit and only appropriates $500 million in FY 2026-27 down from $1 billion in FY 2024-25. Recent federal budget reductions in housing and health and social services programs add to this funding uncertainty. The County Homeless Services Oversight Committee (HSOC) will continue its role in reviewing and determining funding and service priorities within San Luis Obispo County.
Lastly, staff would acknowledge that 5CHC Executive Director Janna Nichols has recently announced her retirement at the end of 2025. The 5CHC Board has selected Assistant Director Devon McQuade to serve as the new Executive Director. Ms. Nichols has done a tremendous job in her service as 5CHC Executive Director and the City will recognize her formally closer to her retirement date.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact from this agenda item.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Receive an update on the City’s response to homelessness including implementation of camping ordinance, partnership with the 5Cities Homeless Coalition on temporary emergency housing facilities, and future challenges affecting homelessness response; and provide direction to staff regarding a potential change in the City’s camping ordinance; or
2. Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.