1 Standing Committee on Homelessness
August 28, 2025
Meeting Minutes
The August 28, 2025 Standing Committee on Homelessness was called to order By Chair Melendez at 8:31 am in City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
Committee Members Present:
Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez, Chair
Mayor John Franklin, Vice Chair
Staff Present
John Conley, City Manager
Beverly Roxas, City Attorney
Kathy Valdez, City Clerk
Imelda Huerta, Assistant City Manager
Jonathan Lung, Homeless Services Program Manager
Pledge of Allegiance
Chair Melendez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Approval of Minutes
Approved the May 22, 2025, meeting minutes.
D1. Regional Housing Assistance Program Overview
Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung introduced Diana Beck, Director of San Diego County Office of Homeless Solutions, who provided an overview of the County of San Diego’s Regional Housing Assistance Program and Vista motel participation.
Committee members, staff, and presenter discussed the following:
• Want better information sharing; coordinate with Rescue Mission and add participants to by-name list
• Concerns about participants being brought into the City then walking away from program, leaving the City to deal with them
• Committed to partnering and addressing concerns
D2. Meeting Schedule
Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung provided an update on the recruitment for the Homelessness Commission and the following recommendations for Standing Committee meetings:
• Cancel the September meeting due to the bi-annual update being provided the following week at the October City Council Workshop
• The Standing Committee does not meet in the month of the bi-annual update
2 • November and December meetings fall during City Hall closures; staff is not recommending rescheduling those due to the holidays
• Beginning in January the Standing Committee and Homelessness Commission will meet in alternate months with the exception of the months in which the bi- annual updates are provided at the City Council Workshop
Recommendation to full City Council:
Cancel the remaining Standing Committee meetings for 2025 and begin with alternating meetings of the Standing Commission and Homelessness Commission in 2026, with neither meeting in months in which the bi-annual update is provided at the City Council Workshop.
D3. General Homelessness Updates
Homeless Services Program Manager Jonathan Lung introduced the item and each of the following individuals gave an update from their respective program:
Daniel Schacht, Kaylyn Jason, Kenneth Tolbert provided an update for the San Diego Rescue Mission
Pete Hagard, Program Director, Retread
Jesse Mendez, Safe Parking Director, Jewish Family Services Brenda Viveros, Shared Housing System Manager, Townspeople
Committee members, staff, and providers discussed the following:
• Roster of all service providers is maintained and available to all providers; will share current roster with the Standing Committee
• San Diego Rescue Mission (SDRM) to reach out to Equus and offer services to those participating in and leaving the County Regional Housing Assistance Program
• SDRM veteran numbers look low; likely because they tend to be able to find housing more easily
• Would like to see more services for disabled individuals • More shelter beds are needed; some providers seem to be limiting access to those from specific cities
• Would like presentation on the District Attoreny’s Shelter Ready App; staff provided an overview of the app and noted that it is used for registering, but not for a waitlist
• Buena Creek Navigation Center (BCNC) collects information at intake about what service providers clients worked with in the last year
• The key to success is permanent housing at exit; is okay if clients need to stay longer at BCNC
• First priority at Safe Parking program should be getting families with children into shelter; would like more information collected/presented on families with children enrolled in the program
• Request the onsite staff from Safe Parking present to the Standing Committee • Want “Positive Exit” better defined and standardized so that it has the same meaning from all providers
• Look at Safe Parking cost per day per family
3 • Create chart of Townspeople cost per adult per month broken down by what the client pays and what the City pays; also look at length of time in program. This can be a model program; is sustainable.
Adjournment
Chair Melendez adjourned the meeting at 10:54 am