The Sam Joaquin Board of Supervisors, along with representatives from cities throughout the County, are collaborating to find solutions to homelessness.

The Board called a special meeting Tuesday to identify strategies and strengthen partnerships to address homelessness.

“This forum was an important first step toward building a stronger regional partnership,” said Chair and Third District Supervisor Sonny Dhaliwal.

“Every community is approaching homelessness from a different perspective, and there is value in sharing what is working. When cities, the County and our community partners work together, we create more opportunities to connect people with the housing and services they need.”

Representatives from the cities of Lathrop, Manteca, Lodi and Stockton, as well as Caltrans, shared strategies and successes from their communities.

The City of Manteca reported a 47% reduction in unsheltered homelessness, which it attributes in part to faith-based outreach and quality-of-life enforcement.

The City of Stockton highlighted its partnership with the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and increased shelter availability as contributing factors in its recent decrease in homelessness.

"We have resources, expertise and people working every day to address homelessness across San Joaquin County,” said Second District Supervisor Paul Canepa, whose office organized the forum. “The opportunity now is to connect those efforts. Homelessness does not stop at a city boundary, and neither should our response. By sharing resources, coordinating services and learning from one another, we can turn individual successes into a stronger, countywide approach.”

Earlier this year, the San Joaquin Continuum of Care released its 2026 Point-in-Time Count. It reported 3,306 sheltered and unsheltered individuals in the County, and a nearly 50% decrease in unsheltered individuals.

San Joaquin County employs several programs to assist people experiencing homelessness. The Probation Department’s SJ Cares program connects people with wraparound services tailored to individual needs. The Shine app tool helps agencies connect people experiencing homelessness with shelter and other services. Additionally, San Joaquin Health Care Services has developed a comprehensive response model that addresses behavioral health needs at multiple points and levels of care.

The forum provided an opportunity for local leaders and service providers to share ideas, identify opportunities for greater coordination, and build relationships that can strengthen the County’s response to homelessness. By bringing communities together, the County hopes to create a more connected system of care.