Homelessness is declining in SLO County. Budget cuts may undo that progress | Opinion

By: Janna Nichols, 5Cities Homeless Coalition Executive Director

One year after the Supreme Court’s landmark Grants Pass decision allowing government agencies to ban public sleeping, our community stands at a crossroads. Regardless of how you feel about the court’s decision, I believe we can agree that homelessness is
harmful.

Whether examined through an environmental, public safety, economic, or humanitarian lens, the impacts to our neighbors and to our broader community are overwhelming, detrimental, and expensive.

5Cities Homeless Coalition (5CHC) is part of the local spectrum of services, doing meaningful work with a high degree of success. We know that we achieve better outcomes and make a more lasting impact when we work alongside other vital services, integrating our services that address housing stability, improve income, and self-sufficiency, and access to services to improve mental, physical, and oral health.

I often hear that what we’re doing to address the problem isn’t working. I offer instead that what we’re doing is not sufficient.

The numbers tell a promising story: SLO County achieved a 19% overall reduction in homelessness between 2022 and 2024, with a remarkable 31% decrease in those who were living out of doors in public places. This dramatic change in unsheltered homelessness is due to innovative programs such as the development 5Cities Homeless Coalition’s interim housing program and similar work by other agencies.

These aren’t just statistics — they represent real people finding stability through the coordinated efforts of organizations like 5Cities Homeless Coalition and our partners. Meaningful change is happening. These successes didn’t happen in a vacuum.

Unfortunately, this progress is now threatened by a looming fiscal cliff. Starting July 1, San Luis Obispo County faces a staggering $7 million reduction in funding for homeless services due to expiring one-time grants. That is nearly 50% of the current resources. This crisis arrives precisely when rising rents and economic uncertainty will likely increase housing instability and demand for services.

What does this mean for our community? This is a question that I am hopeful you will begin asking. We cannot afford to wait for federal or state solutions. As funding decisions approach in July, we must ask ourselves: what will our community look like with half its homelessness services eliminated?

The responsibility now falls to us, the community. Whether it’s $5 or $5,000, please give what you can to the agencies and services that you value and trust to ensure that proven, cost-effective interventions continue. While many challenges may seem beyond our
control, this one isn’t.

We can only do this work when our community stands with us. We are depending on you, as an engaged member of our community, to understand the complexities of homelessness and share in the responsibility of implementing meaningful solutions. You can help us ensure that our successful, effective, cost-efficient services continue to make a meaningful difference.

Homelessness is complex and it’s messy. There is no one solution and no quick fix. It affects the young, the middle-aged, and the old. Meeting its challenges requires far more than enforcement — it demands comprehensive housing solutions, eviction prevention
, and support services addressing diverse barriers to finding and keeping stable housing.

If you don’t know about the services being offered in our community, 5Cities Homeless Coalition would love an opportunity to show you, as would our community partners. To learn more of the work happening at 5Cities Homeless Coalition and our outcomes of success, please visit 5CHC.org.

To those who are already invested with us in this struggle, let me say, “thank you.” We
cannot do our work without you, and we need you now more than ever in order to carry
on.