El Cajon won’t store homeless people’s belongings after encampment clearings

City leaders in El Cajon decided the city will not store homeless individuals’ personal belongings after encampments are cleared.

During a meeting Tuesday, Councilmember Steve Goble said he asked staff to research such a program following repeated complaints from residents about trash in the areas surrounding encampments.

Goble said he wondered if homeless individuals who “continually decline help” would feel inclined to change their behavior after being arrested and having to go out of their way to retrieve their items.

The issue of what to do with the personal belongings of those living in encampments is particularly contentious in East County. A class-action lawsuit filed in 2024 alleged that officers and government workers repeatedly broke the law by throwing out homeless residents’ personal property.

City Manager Graham Mitchell said the city estimated initial costs of a storage program could reach up to $1.75 million, with maintenance costs being more significant, primarily due to staffing.

Councilmember Gary Kendrick said the city could not justify spending so much on such a program. Mayor Bill Wells agreed, and said the city would rather spend their funds on treatment and enforcement options.

Mitchell also cited low rates of property retrieval at existing facilities in the county. Lemon Grove has a similar program, and Mitchell said “few individuals” have returned to collect their items. He warned that a storage facility “c...