San Diego said its fiscal year 2027 budget funded more than 2,700 sheltering options for people experiencing homelessness.
The total represented a mix of interim settings rather than permanent homes. Maintaining that network requires operating money, staff and services in addition to physical beds or spaces.
Capacity matters when outreach teams need an immediate placement, but outcomes matter after entry. Exits to stable housing, length of stay and returns to homelessness would show whether the system moved people forward.