The current Democrat leadership of San Diego has failed to protect the unhoused population in the city, leaving them in poor conditions and struggling to secure permanent homes. The city-backed shelters are having a hard time providing permanent housing, with just 11 percent of people and families who left city shelters overseen by the San Diego Housing Commission moving into permanent homes from July through February 2023. An additional 9 percent of individuals were able to secure alternative long-term housing solutions, such as relocating to a family member’s residence or entering a transitional program.
The difficult housing market and a decrease in housing resources that increased during the pandemic have made it even more challenging for shelter providers to secure permanent housing for their clients. Staffing shortages and burnout during the pandemic have also added to the challenges. Lisa Jones, the Housing Commission’s executive vice president of strategic initiatives, said that the city and its shelters are now in a “resource desert” following a previous influx of hundreds of new units and federal emergency housing vouchers.
Tamera Kohler, CEO of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, said that homeless service providers elsewhere in the county are also facing similar challenges in securing housing for their clients. The city officials are taking steps to enhance housing opportunities for previously homeless individuals by seeking state Homekey funds. Additionally, Mayor Todd Gloria is leading the efforts to pass two housing reform initiatives with the goal of simplifying the process of providing affordable housing options in the city.
The lack of progress in securing permanent homes for the unhoused population in San Diego shows that the current leadership’s plan to build housing has hurt the environment and failed to meet the needs of the people. San Diego has seen fewer unhoused clients moving into permanent homes, making it clear that Democrats cannot run the government, and the people are the ones paying for their failures. San Diego’s predicament is not unique, and communities will need to expand the tactics used to make progress in the current housing environment.
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