Three California homeless people placed into temporary housing after major day-long outreach effort

The overwhelming majority of individuals contacted, over 75%, expressed openness to receiving services.Photo bySan Bernardino County Sheriff

On Friday, May 24, 2024, the Community Service & Reentry Division's Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement Team (H.O.P.E.) initiated "Operation Shelter Me" across Victorville and surrounding unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County. The operation, which ran from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., aimed to provide vital support and services to unhoused residents in need.

"Operation Shelter Me" focuses on connecting unhoused individuals with critical resources, including housing, medical assistance, and mental health treatment services. With a particular emphasis on addressing severe mental illness, the team worked diligently to link individuals with restorative mental health pathways.

During the operation, the H.O.P.E. team achieved significant milestones:

• Placement of Three Families with Children: The team successfully located three families with children living unsheltered and promptly connected them to immediate housing placement, ensuring their safety and well-being.
• Outreach to 80 Individuals, Including 10 Military Veterans: Eighty individuals, including ten military veterans, were contacted during the operation, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the outreach efforts.
• Referral and Assistance for 67 Individuals: Sixty-seven individuals were referred to various services, while sixteen received direct assistance in connecting to these services, demonstrating the tangible impact of the team's intervention.

The overwhelming majority of individuals contacted, over 75%, expressed openness to receiving services, highlighting the importance of proactive outreach in addressing the needs of the unhoused population.

In June of 2023, San Bernardino County opted into Laura’s Law, also known as Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), which provides court-ordered community treatment pathways for individuals with histories of hospitalization, incarceration, or violence to themselves or others. As a result of "Operation Shelter Me," two individuals were identified as potential candidates for Laura’s Law referrals, and they will undergo evaluation by the Department of Behavioral Health for possible additional services.