The Homeless Solution for San Diego
The San Diego I grew up in was known for its sunny beaches and as a place where you could afford to buy a home and raise a family in a safe, clean neighborhood. But now, the San Diego region no longer lives up to the image of "America's finest."
It's time for San Diego to make a comeback.
As the Mayor of Coronado, I know what good government looks like and the difference it can make for an entire community. Over the next few months, I'm releasing a series of nonpartisan, detailed plans that identify specific actions our region can take to solve the main quality of life issues affecting San Diego County.
The most pressing topic we must address first is homelessness...
The Homeless Solution for San Diego
(Part 1 of 2: By The Numbers)
In this part one of a two-part series about homelessness, I will cover some of the data points on homelessness and explain why the current approach has exacerbated the problem.
City leaders have a civic and moral responsibility to provide access to the resources necessary to help struggling members of our community get back on their feet. However, city leaders also have a responsibility to the larger community to make sure public spaces, including sidewalks and parks, are safe and clean for all of us to enjoy. Refusal to accept help does not give anyone the right to ignore the rules of society that maintain our community standards and quality of life.
The good news is that beds are available for people who want help right now. According to the most recent "Point in Time" count, of the approximately 17.8K shelter beds of various types and supportive or permanent housing beds available in San Diego County, only approximately 75% are occupied.
We must establish a policy that makes saying “yes” to getting help and off the streets the ONLY option available.
Before exploring what this policy looks like in practice, let's look at homelessness by the numbers.
According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, there are fewer homeless people nationwide today than in 2012. In fact, the homeless population count fell across the country from 622K in 2012 to 582K in 2022.
So if the homeless population is decreasing in most parts of the nation, what is happening in California?
Today, nearly 1 in 3 homeless people live in California. From 2012 through 2022, the homeless count in California increased by 40% to 172,000. San Diego has seen an even more drastic increase in the homeless population. In downtown alone, the number of homeless people has almost quadrupled to a new record of nearly 2,000 earlier this year.
Some believe the year-round good weather is the primary driver of California's numbers. However, that wouldn't explain why other states such as Utah, Florida, and Arizona, which also have mild climates, have homeless per capita counts that are three to four times lower than California. It also wouldn't explain why New York, a state not known for its year-round weather, has homeless per capita counts that are four to five times higher than its neighboring states.
The increase in homeless population also can't be attributed to a lack of spending. According to California's Interagency Council on Homelessness, the state spent over $10 billion in tax dollars on "solving" the homeless issue in the past three years. As we can see with our own eyes, the problem is only getting worse.
For the past decade, the State of California's solution to homelessness has been a 'Housing First' model. The idea is that getting individuals into housing without any preconditions, such as abandoning their drugs or alcohol, will provide them with a stable place to live and eventually address their personal issues. While it may sound compassionate, "eventually" rarely comes and the price tag is unsustainable.
Some people point to the increasing cost of housing as a reason for the rise in homelessness in California. While this may be the cause for some people at the margins, it doesn't explain why many areas of the country have significantly higher home prices AND lower homeless counts than a decade ago.
San Francisco has increased its permanent homeless housing units from 7,700 to 12,400, but its homeless population has grown by 20% since 2012.
Los Angeles increased its permanent homeless housing units from 22,000 to 34,000, but its homeless population has grown by 38% since 2012.
At a cost of $600,000 to $850,000 per unit with many years of construction time, the "Housing First" model is too expensive for taxpayers and will take far too long to be effective.
We must first address the underlying policies surrounding drug use, crime, mental health, and reforming the administration of homeless services if we want to make a difference for the homeless and our communities. At a cost of $600,000 to $850,000 per unit with many years of construction time, the "Housing First" model is too expensive for taxpayers and will take far too long to be effective.
The good news is that it does not have to be this way. Next week, I'll be sharing which policies we can change to make a difference in the homelessness issue right now..