By Deacon Jim Vargas

Homelessness in San Diego affects us all. The cycle of homelessness not only means people struggling to survive in inhumane conditions on our streets, it also means challenges for the residents and businesses that share those streets.

Whether you are concerned about business, tourism, quality of life for Downtown residents, the very real toll homelessness takes on people living on our streets, or all of the above, we have a common desire to see a San Diego where the reality is different — a San Diego where no tents pop-up near storefronts, where nobody is begging for change, where thousands of adults and children aren’t worried about where they’ll sleep tonight.

Our community demands that this vision become a reality. With such widespread desire for a San Diego without homelessness, the temptation to turn to quick fixes is understandable. But short-term solutions don’t truly address the problem.

At Father Joe’s Villages, we believe that homelessness is solvable. The fundamental issue is one of resources.

In 2015, our agency alone took more than 800 men, women, teens and families off San Diego’s streets and put them into permanent housing and we could have helped more if we had the resources. After more than 65 years of addressing this problem and working with countless individuals and families, we can say with certainty that the only way to effectively deal with homelessness in our community is to invest in the housing and services needed to help our homeless neighbors reach self-sufficiency.

Father Joe’s Villages has a proven track record of implementing solutions that work — strategic, research-based programs to help those in need and improve our community overall — programs designed to not only get people off the streets, but also to connect them to the support and services they need to achieve permanent independence. We know that with the right support, this journey to independence is possible.

For example, when we first met Bill, he had been living on the streets for three years. Plagued by substance abuse, mental health and legal issues, he was unemployed and had a record with jail time. Once he arrived at our St. Vincent de Paul Village campus, he took full advantage of the employment program and addiction treatment center while he searched for a permanent home. Today, Bill has addressed his legal problems, has a job, and a place of his own.

These innovative, long-term solutions to homelessness are effective in helping people like Bill, but they are not easy. They require our community’s investment of both time and money. With adequate resources, we can build on the success we’ve achieved together so far. But with our city’s resources so limited, we need to keep our focus on meaningful and lasting solutions that will make a long term and sustainable difference.

Father Joe’s Villages continues to work alongside businesses, residents, civic leaders and nonprofit partners to address both the immediate challenges and the underlying causes of homelessness that can cause blight and hazards on our streets.

With more housing options available and with expanded programs to connect people with those resources, Father Joe’s Villages and other providers can get more people off the streets. To achieve this lasting success will require smart, forward-thinking investment from community members that share our vision for a San Diego without homelessness.

To learn more and to pledge your support, visit neighbor.org.

—Deacon Jim Vargas is President & CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. He is honored to lead this passionate team to provide the services and support our homeless neighbors need to gain self-sufficiency. To learn more about Father Joe’s Villages’ services, visit neighbor.org.