San Diego has already declared a shelter crisis several times – but they renewed the shelter crisis declaration at a City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 30. Sarah Jarman, director of the city’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department, said the move helped them in the past and when questioned about what other tools could help staff in their jobs, suggested updates to city codes easing restrictions on procurement.   

The move from Council President Sean Elo-Rivera comes as many of the interim shelter beds created after the previous crisis declaration are going away soon. Up to 380 beds across Golden Hall and three small shelters are expected to disappear by the end of the year. Last week Elo-Rivera floated an emergency declaration but staff said the crisis declaration was more helpful in cutting through red tape without updates to city code. San Francisco and Los Angeles have made similar declarations.  

Some members of the public accused the council of grandstanding with a meaningless declaration to distract from criticism for delaying the vote on Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed 1,000 bed shelter. Gloria’s deputy chief of staff Nick Serrano decried the declaration as already on the books in an email to Voice of San Diego.  

Council member Joe LaCava said, “It allows us to be much more nimble.” He said he would give detractors that it was a very bureaucratic move, but it was still the step the city could take to improve the homelessness crisis.  

District 3 Councilman Stephen Whitburn also spoke up in favor of the declaration, stating “The entire homelessness crisis can be summed up in five words: Do something but not that.” He said the council had been in the “do something” camp for the past few years and they needed to stay in that camp rather than shooting down all imperfect ideas.  

City Council unanimously voted for the shelter crisis declaration 8-0 with Councilwoman Vivian Moreno absent.