Maureen Cavanaugh: Two weeks ago, a group of people with flashlights and maps set out on a journey in the early morning hours around San Diego County. They walked along river banks and behind industrial parks and combed the sidewalks and alleyways of downtown San Diego looking for and counting the homeless.
The results are called a "snapshot" of the local homeless population but, preliminary reports from police agencies and food banks already tell us the number of homeless people in San Diego is on the rise.
I'm speaking today with three people who work to solve the problem of homelessness, and get services to people who are in need. We'll discuss what effect the economic recession is likely to have on homelessness, and what we can do about it nationally and here in San Diego.
The National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness will take place this Thursday and Friday at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina on Harbor Island.
Guests
- Walt Sandford, executive director of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
- Brian Maienschein, commissioner of Plan to End Chronic Homelessness with the United Way of San Diego County.
- Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
