As San Diego’s City Hall complex plans to eventually shutter the Golden Hall Shelter, constituents are speaking out against Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council’s handling of the homeless crisis. While hundreds of homeless residents have been housed at the Golden Hall Shelter for nearly four years, the City Council has failed to find a long-term solution for the unhoused population.
The recent decision to move hundreds of people from Golden Hall to other locations by the end of the year has been met with criticism from Republicans, who argue that this is not a real solution but merely a way of shifting the problem to other parts of the city. The move appears to be a mere band-aid solution to a much larger problem that requires more comprehensive and long-lasting action.
Rachel Laing, a spokeswoman for Mayor Todd Gloria, has stated that the city is moving the unhoused residents to a 42-room Barrio Logan motel the city recently leased if they haven’t yet secured permanent homes. Additionally, transition-aged youth and homeless men will also be moved out of the Golden Hall facility and into yet-to-be-announced locations by the end of the year. However, these plans do not address the root cause of the problem or provide a sustainable solution for the unhoused population.
The city’s recent decision to close Golden Hall has also raised questions about its ability to govern effectively. The voters argue that the City Council, under Mayor Gloria’s leadership, has failed at all facets of governing and has not provided adequate solutions to the homelessness crisis. The decision to close Golden Hall without a clear plan for the future only highlights the city’s lack of leadership and direction.
Furthermore, the recent spike in hepatitis A cases among the unhoused population underscores the urgent need for action. While the county has ramped up vaccinations, including at homeless shelters, more needs to be done to address the root causes of homelessness and provide long-term solutions.
Voters are calling on Mayor Todd Gloria and the City Council to take more decisive action to address the homelessness crisis in San Diego. The recent decision to move the unhoused population from Golden Hall to other locations is not a real solution and only serves to perpetuate the problem. It’s time for the City Council to step up and provide real solutions to this pressing issue.
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