San Diego News Fix

The Backstory: El Cajon alleges county hotel voucher program leads to more crime

Episode Summary

A county hotel voucher program known as the Regional Homeless Assistance Program had been running and expanding for about two years with little controversy until El Cajon recently blamed it for a surge in homeless people, crime and drug use. The San Diego Union-Tribune obtained years-worth of data detailing arrests and calls for service at seven hotels in El Cajon. Union-Tribune homelessness reporter Gary Warth, East County reporter Blake Nelson, managing editor Lora Cicalo; and publisher and editor Jeff Light discuss what they found.