Written by: Skyler Dale
It has been weeks since SDSU published its independent review, which details the horrific conditions of the county’s COVID-19 hotel sheltering program. Nathan Fletcher has continuously neglected to remark on this matter, pivoting around every question as he usually does.
However, as COVID cases begin to rise in San Diego, Fletcher has been forced to confront this matter. His expressions are similar to a groundhog coming out of his hole only to see his shadow: lackadaisical and apathetic.
After breaking weeks of silence, Fletcher finally remarked that he thinks “we have to do a better job, and I acknowledge that, and I admit that.” At least Fletcher’s time in office has a common denominator of some sort. We can always count on him to point out the obvious! However, we can never count on him for solutions.
The original report by SDSU, released on Aug. 3rd, highlights that the county gave an unqualified company, Equus Workforce Solutions, a $30 million contract to operate the hotels. Without any research conducted on the company, they had poorly trained employees who forced COVID-19 patients to suffer through long delays for much-needed medication and allowed gaps in services that may have led to overdoses and suicide.
Hundreds of people will continue relying on services at these hotels until the county’s contract with Equus expires at the end of the year. Even so, there are no plans to discuss the report or the program’s future at a public meeting. As usual, Nathan Fletcher will speak about the issue and leave it at that. He will not accommodate his “precious” time on an issue that affects San Diego’s most vulnerable people.
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