Attorney General Rob Bonta released a press release on Saturday demanding that El Cajon immediately rescind warning notices sent to hotels that participate in San Diego County’s voucher program for individuals experiencing homelessness.
The press release came after El Cajon notified some local hotels that participate in the program that fines would begin at $100 a day and increase up to $1,000 a day after the fourth violation.
“We certainly don’t want to fine anybody. What we want to do is rectify the problem, we don’t want to be inundated with homeless people on our streets and we want some equity, we want the rest of the county to do their share,” Mayor of El Cajon Bill Wells said.
Mayor Wells claimed the county was dumping a disproportionate amount of homeless people from other areas in city motels, placing an unfair burden on his city.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher disagreed with Mayor Wells.
“We’ve got these programs going in six other cities. El Cajon is not the only city in San Diego County, El Cajon is the only City that wants to blow up the program that’s getting people off the streets,” Fletcher said.
El Cajon resident and a person who experienced homelessness, Sal Valdez, had concerns about the program but wants a solution that benefits everyone.
“I really hope that they can give the program to people who actually need it – like desperately need it, not the homeless that are abusing it,” Valdez said.
Community services organization, Crisis House, employee Joseph Villanueva believes the voucher program is working.
“We take it for granted that we are able to go home at the end of the day and have a roof over our head. A lot of people in East County that experience homelessness, they don’t have that luxury. Being able to put them in a shelter or hotel moves them that much closer to some semblance of stability,” Villanueva said.
