Students shown leaving the Hoover High School campus on May 31, 2018.
Students shown leaving the Hoover High School campus on May 31, 2018. (Megan Wood/inewsource)

Across California, schools have reported a significant drop in the number of students identified as experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. 

But those “self-reported” student counts by school districts are drastically undercounting the number of homeless students, advocates say, resulting in fewer resources available to assist students now and in the future.

Read more about unhoused students during the pandemic in San Diego County here and find a list of resources for students and others needing housing assistance below. 

For young adults aged 12-24 experiencing homelessness or housing instability, contact the YMCA.

YMCA San Diego

David Baker: dbaker@ymcasd.org
Call/text: 760-908-9126

For people over 24, contact the closest regional access center to you. 

North County

Interfaith Community Services
550 W. Washington Ave., Escondido, CA 
Call: 760-489-6380

Central San Diego

Father Joe’s Village Day Center
299 17th St., San Diego, CA 
Call: 619-230-7390

East County

SDYS East County Behavioral Health Clinic
1870 Cordell Ct. #101, El Cajon, CA
Call: 619-448-9700

South Bay

SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services)
430 F St., Chula Vista, CA
Call: 619-420-3620

Other resources:

  • Domestic Violence Hotline: (888) 385-4657
  • San Diego LGBT Community Center: (619) 692-2077
  • General social support services: 211 

According to David Baker, youth systems director at the YMCA San Diego, data, such as that reported by the California Department  of Education, which shows a drastic drop in students experiencing homelessness, poses a threat if it isn’t contextualized properly. 

“We have to fight against this misinformation of youth homelessness decreasing because it affects our funding. And I’m talking about in a real way,” Baker said.

Baker spends much of his time educating the public, and even donors, on just how extensive the issue of youth homelessness really is. “They don’t realize that we’ve got thousands of homeless youth. It’s not 600,” Baker said. 

He and other homeless advocates are racing to secure increased funding — funding they need to do their jobs appropriately and address the growing number of youths in-need. 

Type of Content

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Chloe Wynne is a former web producer and reporting intern for inewsource. She has a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she focused on investigative reporting and audio production. Her reporting has ranged from covering rising anxiety levels in schools...