On the eve of the annual Point in Time Count of the unsheltered along the beachfront, homelessness services provider The Compass Station prepared for its all-volunteer, early-morning count in Pacific Beach.
We All Count – Point In Time Count 2025
“The Compass Station at 1004 Chalcedony St. will be a host site for the Central Pacific Beach area (count) from 4 to 8 a.m. on Jan. 30,” said Caryn Blanton, executive director of Shoreline Community Services, which operates the station. “Shoreline will be a part of this vital effort to understand the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. This is more than just a count – it’s a chance to increase awareness and inspire action.”
Upwards of 1,600 volunteers countywide will take part in the annual count interviewing unsheltered residents. The count, led by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness as part of a federal funding mandate, helps RTFH learn more about the people experiencing homelessness while raising awareness about the crisis.
Recently, there have been some encouraging signs that the number of unsheltered people finding housing may eventually exceed the number of new homeless individuals winding up on the street. But Blanton said that hopeful prospect does not currently apply to Shoreline Community Services and The Compass Station.
“Our numbers here at the beach are not going down,” noted Blanton adding, “But the outcomes we measure are ‘not’ how many people get housed (or not). We count how many people are ‘connected’ to services.”
Beach Area Homelessness Services
Blanton gave year-end numbers for The Compass Station homelessness resource center serving Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla:
- In 2024 there were over 11,000 guest visits at The Compass Station – 608 of those were new individuals (different from those served in 2023) looking for assistance.
- 512 unsheltered visited with nurses on site.
- 1,090 unsheltered took hot showers and The Compass Station did 1,638 loads of laundry.
- 103 people were connected to mental health services.
- 91 guests signed up for county benefits.
- 118 individuals were connected to Family Health Centers services.
- 339 people were able to replace their lost/stolen documents.
- 23 people were connected to detox and substance use programs.
- Compass Station gave 285 bus passes for appointments and job interviews.
- 11 people were reunited with family.
- A total of 414 individuals were connected to the housing system.
“Being connected to the housing system does not mean they were housed,” Blanton said. She noted, “People are currently waiting for 10 to 14 months (or longer) to be matched to housing, depending on their situations. It’s not difficult to connect people to the system, but the system simply has no places available to house folks. We are absolutely in a crisis right now.”
Light In The Dark Vigil
For more than 30 years, near to or on the longest night of the year, people nationwide hold ceremonies to honor those who have died while living on the street, noted Blanton. She added this has become known as Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. “On Dec. 17 we joined with St. Andrew’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, for our third annual vigil to honor the lives of our unhoused neighbors who passed away while living on the street,” she said. “It was a moving evening filled with reflection, prayer, and naming the names of those who died.”
Added Blanton: “Sadly, in 2024, San Diego County reported that 495 unsheltered neighbors died while living on our streets. The actual toll is likely higher because the medical examiner doesn’t document all cases.”
