This post originally appeared in the June 14 Morning Report. Subscribe here.
The San Diego City Council just before 11 p.m. Tuesday narrowly approved a controversial homeless camping ban with some changes.
Council members Sean Elo-Rivera, Monica Montgomery Steppe, Kent Lee and Vivian Moreno voted against the ordinance following a slew of questions and failed attempts by Elo-Rivera to make amendments.
The tense deliberations and vote followed the presentation of a city strategy aiming to add hundreds of additional shelter beds, more than four hours of public comment and a series of attempts by Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and others to make changes.
The version of the ordinance approved late Tuesday bars homeless camps in public spaces at all times when shelter is available. When shelter isn’t available, tents would still be banned within two blocks of schools or shelters as well as in canyons and along transit hubs and waterways.
But per changes pushed by Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert, the ordinance now would only apply in parks where the city determines there is a “significant public health and safety risk” and signs are posted. The change frustrated Moreno, who had previously urged the inclusion of all parks in the city to avoid disparities throughout the city, particularly in historically underserved areas.
Councilman Joe LaCava also successfully added language clarifying that beaches are covered by the ban and that shelter availability rests on whether there is an open shelter bed that meets the needs of the homeless person police are engaging. He also called for regular updates on the impacts of the ordinance.
Gloria repeatedly addressed the City Council Tuesday, including after questions from Montgomery Steppe about whether the ordinance would spur more unsheltered people to accept shelter offers or more distrust.
“The message will be sent that it’s no longer acceptable to deteriorate on the sidewalk,” Gloria said.
But Lee, Moreno, Elo-Rivera and Montgomery Steppe questioned the potential impacts of the ordinance.
“I don’t think that what we have before us today is going to satisfy what people think it will satisfy,” Montgomery Steppe said.
And Moreno at one point attempted to postpone the City Council vote until September to allow time for police to etch out a more detailed enforcement plan.
Gloria praised the council members who supported the ordinance in a late Tuesday press release.
“I want to thank the five members of the City Council for voting to support the unsafe camping ordinance,” Gloria wrote in a statement. “When presented with the opportunity to take action or do nothing, Councilmembers Whitburn, LaCava, Campbell, von Wilpert and Campillo chose to act.”
He argued the ordinance will offer the city another tool to address and aid people in encampments.
A slim majority of politicians that comprehend the ongoing misfeasance if better than nothing. (Or at least the fear of being voted out.) Now El Cajon is panicking that many will now go there and is pushing for a similar ordinance. The County will eventually be forced into building shelters. Remember Sunbreak Ranch? Not such a ridiculous idea after all. Maybe 10-15% of the homeless population is capable of a sustained recovery and will be able to become productive. The rest have to be cared for and or warehoused. The trick is to not make this care and accommodation so attractive that every indigent in the country comes here to get it. The State of Hawaii and the City of Coronado have seemed to have figured this out.
This is good news but now we will see how or if this ordinance is enforced. If it is only enforced north of the I-8 freeway then this is worthless but if this ordinance is enforced equitably and these homeless garbage people can be sent to places where they can get help then we have something.
Monsieur Nostredame, and I wholeheartedly agree. Dan Smiechowski burned at the stake for advocating this measure decades go. I’m not even from Rouen. Smiechowski candidate for San Diego Mayor. WHO CARES, RIGHT?
“Garbage People”? Careful.. sounding a little fascist there.
This is good news but now we will see how or if this ordinance is enforced. If it is only enforced north of the I-8 freeway then this is worthless but if this ordinance is enforced equitably and these homeless garbage people can be sent to places where they can get help then we have something.
Dan Smiechowski is a candidate for San Diego Mayor.
Kicking the can or in this case the homeless down the road. Doing something is usually better than doing. Nothing but doing something ineffectual is like doing nothing. How about building some public affordable housing in the city?
No, we’re not going to do that. You should move to Kuwait if you want public affordable housing, because that’s the only place it exists.
As any lawyer will tel you, any law is only good as the enforcement mechanism in place to follow through on what the legislature or a judge intended. This is just step one in addressing a serious public health and safety issue that has gotten progressively worse. We do not want to get to the point where we look like the core of San Francisco. I think the City realized this is where we were headed and acted. Now we will see if it’s possible to actually enforce these new rules in an equitable way.
It is all about money. There are successful ongoing strategies to deal with homeless both here and abroad. Politicians do not want to fund the plans as homeless people do not generate votes . Paving a road will garner votes. The average tax payer does not have the knowledge of the cost to a city or town for each homeless person on their sidewalks. Everyone has a right to housing according to treaties signed by the United States. However. capitalism has made the unafforabilty to a roof over one’s head paramount. Fund a proven plan it that simple .