El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said Friday that the Regional Task Force on Homelessness‘ annual Point-In-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness in the city was “inflated” and “inaccurate.”
The results of that count — a one-day snapshot of the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness throughout the region — released earlier this week found a significant increase in the number of people without stable housing in the East County city. The only city to post a significant gain in both percentage and number of unhoused people was El Cajon, where the number of unsheltered people alone increased from 283 to 344 — a 21.6% increase.
“The county included individuals outside our city limits, counted people they themselves placed into El Cajon hotels through their ineffective hotel voucher program and tallied areas not even within our jurisdiction,” said Wells, who is running for re-election. “Our Homeless Outreach Team and volunteers on the ground found the numbers baffling — and far higher than reality. We believe there was likely double counting, inflated estimates, or miscounts by surveyors who never left their vehicles.”
Wells blamed “housing first” policies at both the state and county level for the count, a policy which believes getting people into housing first — before treatment for mental illness or substance abuse — is how to tackle homelessness. He also said the RTFH counted people living unsheltered on tracts of land not in the city limits as a reason for the numbers recorded.
“We are a solutions-first city, focused on treatment, accountability and public safety — not just warehousing people in hotels or ignoring the problem entirely,” he said. “El Cajon continues to lead with compassion and results. We won’t allow false numbers or failed policies to undermine our work — or mislead our residents.”
The annual countywide count found the number of people experiencing homelessness dropped by 7%, and dropped by about 14% in the city of San Diego.
The data was collected in January during the 2025 Point-in-Time Count, when more than 1,700 volunteers, including site coordinators, trained outreach workers and county staff hit the streets to speak to those living without stable housing.
“The progress is certainly encouraging,” RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler said. “The investments our region and cities have made are working, especially as they relate to veterans, family homelessness, and those needing a little financial assistance.
“I want to thank the elected leaders, providers, and other decision makers who have helped drive this change,” Kohler continued. “I also want to stress the obvious: There’s more work to do. Too many people, for example, are living in their cars, and while we are moving closer toward eliminating family and veteran homelessness, we need more apartment owners and landlords willing to house people with assistance.”
The volunteers found no fewer than 9,905 people experiencing homelessness throughout the county, down from 10,605 a year ago. This year’s data include 5,714 unsheltered San Diegans and 4,191 individuals in shelters and transitional housing.
“The data (show) noteworthy reductions in several cities that saw their numbers fall due to a series of investments, partnerships, and utilization of best practices,” a statement from the RTFH read.
Also down in numbers were Carlsbad by 15%, Encinitas by 12%, Oceanside and La Mesa by 9% and Chula Vista down 6%.
Last year’s count found the number of homeless increased by an estimated 3% over the previous year, and the 2023 figures reported a 20% increase.
The number of homeless senior citizens — who make up fully a third of those experiencing homelessness in the region — increased by 5% over the year. Half of them became homeless for the first time. The oldest person found unsheltered was an 80-year-old white male. Last year, it was an 85-year-old Hispanic woman.
The number of people living in vehicles also saw an increase of 7%, while the number of homeless transitional age youth (18-24) declined by 22%.
The number of families living unsheltered dropped dramatically — by 72% — and the number of veterans in the same situation also dropped by double-digits — 25%.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, safe sleeping and safe parking sites count as being unsheltered.
In the annual count, volunteers ask demographic questions of people they find experiencing homelessness. In 2024’s report, they began the reporting of Hispanic ethnicity along with race for the first time.
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