Council members at a June 13 special meeting heard about the City’s new comprehensive shelter strategy, as well as endorsing, by a 5-4 vote after hours of debate, an ordinance banning most tent encampments in public spaces if shelter beds are available nearby.

The new ordinance brought by Mayor Todd Gloria and District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn bars encampments at all times in certain areas including parks, canyons, and waterways, as well as near schools and homeless shelters, and transit stations regardless of shelter capacity.

“There’s no question we’re facing an acute crisis that has been building for decades as our housing shortage became more acute,” said Mayor Todd Gloria adding, “Solving homelessness itself has become a more complex puzzle to solve.”

Pointing out that homeless problems are extremely complex, Gloria noted they involve “a host of personal circumstances including serious medical and mental health conditions, substance-abuse disorder and partners or pets they can’t part with.”

Added Gloria: “We’ve endeavored to create spaces for everyone opening shelters focusing on women, seniors, people with behavior and substance-abuse challenges, families, LGBTQ+ youth, etc. We’ve greatly expanded safe parking for those who are living in their cars to do so legally and safely. There’s still so much more we must do to get people off the streets. The comprehensive shelter strategy is the road map for our continued efforts. My administration has a clear plan, one that is consistent with the city council’s priorities informed by national best practices.”

In council debate following public testimony, District 2 Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell gave kudos to the mayor and Whitburn noting “It takes a lot of bravery to do this. This is a win-win ordinance because the homeless neighbors living on sidewalks in unsafe conditions will get to move to clean healthy locations with 24-hour-a-day service, safety, meals, showers, restrooms, and social services, all the while being helped to find permanent housing.”

Numerous people testified during hours-long public testimony on the comprehensive shelter strategy and the unauthorized homeless camping ordinance. Most criticized the City’s current plan as inadequate and overly expensive or insisted it criminalizes the homeless. Some argued as well that passage of an unsafe camping ordinance would be leaving the City open to potential lawsuits challenging the measure’s legality.

One individual testifying against the passage of the ordinance called out the council asking why no one from the homeless community, or anyone who has actually lived on the streets, is being represented in homeless decision-making by the City.

“It’s not a plan, it’s called a strategy,” said District 1 Councilmember Joe LaCava about the direction the City is taking. “We need housing. But to put options on hold and to do nothing is not acceptable. Make no mistake, this is a candid and transparent discussion of where we are and where we need to be. There’s no question that we need more shelter, and I appreciate us considering all options. But shelter, though important, is not the end game. The shelter must be the intermediate step between the streets and permanent housing. That is our goal. Until there is housing – shelter fills that gap.”

“There is one group of people we did not hear from today,” said Whitburn. “We did not hear from the people most impacted by the health and safety hazards of encampments. We didn’t hear from them because they died. Hundreds of people have died in encampments on our streets in just the past 12 months, preyed upon by drug dealers and overdosing on fentanyl, hit by cars, and randomly attacked.

“People died during the hepatitis outbreak. Given the City’s interest in protecting public safety, we need reasonable regulations on the use and location of encampments. That’s what this ordinance does. We can work to get people back on their feet and we can have reasonable regulations on the use and location of encampments.”

District 5 Councilmember Marni von Wilpert said she’d actually come upon a deceased homeless person in an encampment during a police Homeless Outreach Team ride-along.

At the meeting, SDPD Capt. Shawn Takeuchi of the Neighborhood Policing Division said its mission is to “enhance the quality of life and safety in San Diego neighborhoods in a manner that is compassionate, professional and fair to all in effectively responding to community concerns, while also ensuring equal rights and treatment for all.”

Pointing out that officers in the division know they play a role in helping the homeless transition off the streets, Takeuchi said: “We will continue working collaboratively to implement this ordinance if it is passed. We’ll be looking at the entire City, and will first identify schools and parks which are impacted by encampments. We are committed to leading with outreach first. The department will train all personnel on this ordinance.

“There will be three steps for enforcement: Step 1 is an offer of a shelter bed and education of the ordinance; Step 2 will be an offer of a shelter bed and issuance of a misdemeanor citation; and Step 3 will be an offer of a shelter bed and physical arrest of the person. A shelter bed will be offered at each step. Our goal is for every person to say yes to an offer of shelter.”

THE CITY’S COMPREHENSIVE SHELTER STRATEGY

Presented by Mayor Todd Gloria to San Diego City Council on June 13, the new strategy outlines the current status of homelessness, progress that has been made to expand homeless services, contributing factors to the increasing need for shelter, and the short-, medium- and long-term solutions for shelter, safe sleeping, safe parking and outreach needs in the City.

The City has increased shelter capacity by nearly 70% over the past two years. Of the region’s 18 cities, only San Diego and four other cities have added shelter beds, and only 10 cities in the County provide any shelter at all.

Key elements of the shelter strategy include expanding shelter options to fit the specific needs of veterans, seniors, youth, and others; expanding services that provide compassionate and equitable services to individuals experiencing homelessness; and engaging with regional partners to identify sites for additional shelter, safe camping, and safe parking needs.  For more information visit Comprehensive Shelter Strategy for the City of San Diego.

SDPD’s plan to enforce the ordinance:

– Citywide approach;

– Efforts will begin around schools and parks;

Homeless sites will be targeted based on:

– Community requests;

– City Council offices;

– “Get It Done” data;

– Coordinate with the Health and Social Services Department, which will lead with outreach first;

– Coordinate with Environmental Services Department to ensure health and safety concerns;

– SDPD will follow up with progressive enforcement;

– Continuously educate/enforce to stop recurrence.