ESCONDIDO, Calif. — The future of a leading non-profit that provides homelessness services in Escondido appears uncertain
After helping thousands of people find permanent housing, Interfaith Community Services said it's facing increasing challenges from city leadership.
Much of this comes down to allegations by Escondido's police that Interfaith has been in violation of its conditional use permit, which is required for the non-profit to continue its work.
These include allegations that Interfaith has in some ways contributed to an increase in crime in the surrounding community: an allegation that the non-profit's leader is blasting.
"We are concerned enough to raise the alarm bell and share with the community, 'Hey, this is what's happening', said Greg Anglea, CEO of Interfaith Community Services, a non-profit that has been providing homelessness services, from shelter and housing to food assistance to substance-use treatment, for more than four decades in Escondido.
Last year, according to Anglea, it helped to end homelessness for nearly 1,470 people last year alone through its programs.
"To potentially put any of these programs at risk is very concerning," he told CBS 8.
Concerns are increasing, according to Interfaith.
Last summer, Escondido city council voted to pull funding from Interfaith's shelter 'Haven House,' the only shelter then operating in the city.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the council voted to instruct city staff to explore a moratorium on homelessness services in the downtown area, where Interfaith is headquartered.
"None of those things help people overcome homelessness," Anglea said,
However, Escondido's mayor said these concerns are overblown and told CBS 8 in a statement,
'"There have never been any discussions at a city council or staff level regarding reducing, limiting or eliminating the services of interfaith community services," adding that a possible moratorium on services are in response to recent plans by the county to site a shelter in downtown Escondido, "and was in no way related to Interfaith."
"I have to take the mayor at his word that it was not intended at Interfaith," Anglea added, "That was what he's saying very vocally."
Perhaps more concerning: Interfaith recently received a letter from Escondido's police chief, alleging that Interfaith has failed to comply with many of the conditions of its conditional use permit, which Interfaith needs to continue providing its services.
The letter cites an increased number of calls for service connected with Interfaith, including people loitering or camped out in the general area.
"We don't have any control over encampments on other people's private property," Anglea responded. "We are not code enforcement, we are not public works, we are not the police department. We can not do those things."
Anglea added that, leading up to this notification that the non-profit's permit may be in jeopardy, Interfaith had a strong partnership with the police.
"And it was just shocking," he said. "It was news to us!"
Escondido's mayor said that while his request for a moratorium on homeless services came at roughly the same time as that letter of permit violations to Interfaith, the two are unrelated.
Interfaith Community Services is also organizing a 'Citizens Task Force' on homelessness that is open to all residents. Its first meeting is this Wednesday. For more information, click here,
WATCH RELATED: Escondido approves public-safety first policy to address homelessness