Advocates have for years implored San Diego County to supply more beds to address a growing behavioral health crisis. Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers across the state have now formally jumped on the bandwagon with reforms meant to spur counties statewide to deliver more beds.
Now, as our Lisa Halverstadt writes, San Diego County is among those across the state facing pressure in 2024 to bolster offerings amid new state mandates meant to compel more people with serious mental illnesses and addiction into treatment. County officials say they are working on it – and assessing exactly what they’ll need to deliver.
The current reality: Waits for mental health and addiction treatment beds are now common in San Diego County, deterring some from ever accessing care. Meanwhile, two of the county’s leading addiction treatment providers have for years been unable to expand their residential services despite significant efforts to do so, underlining the challenges the county and others across the state may face as they try to add more beds.
The statewide view: In March, voters statewide will weigh in on Prop. 1, a bond measure championed by Newsom to fund thousands of new behavioral health beds, housing units and outpatient slots. Newsom last month called out San Diego and other counties for not immediately implementing a state conservatorship expansion mandate that spotlights the existing lack of on-demand addiction treatment. Newsom resolved to find ways to increase pressure on counties if they don’t step up.
This story is part of our It’s Gonna Blow reporting series. Read more stories here.
Rental Assistance and Shelter Beds in Short Supply
For low-income San Diegans, rental assistance may be the one thing keeping them off of the street. But even though some programs are expanding, actually getting vouchers or other forms of assistance is vanishingly rare. The waitlist for Section 8, for example, can be almost 15 years. And often, those programs only offer temporary relief, as the Union-Tribune reports.
Related: Even as San Diego has ramped up its homeless enforcement, the vast majority of people seeking a shelter bed can’t get one. The Union-Tribune reports that fewer than 20 percent of shelter requests ended with someone getting a bed in a facility overseen by the San Diego Housing Commission.
The availability of shelter beds is likely to play a significant role in a legal case working its way through the courts. The case, which San Diego recently signed onto, will test the legality of camping bans like the one the City Council approved last year.
Song of the Week
Welcome to a new year of “Songs of the Week!” Catch up on all 2023’s selections here.
I’ve been paying attention to The Fazes since 2020, when the band released the harsh, minimal synth wave single “Camera Shy.” It was an exciting introduction to an unquestionably promising act, but the intervening years have found the band evolving an even fuller and more enveloping sound. The Fazes’ debut album, “Underground Starz,” which came out last year, is an absolute gem that flits between heavy, disco-infused grooves and washed-out new wave tones. In other words, it’s a dream come true for me.
The Fazes, “Welcome 2 Dirt”: Complete with siren-like synths and a thumping bassline, “Welcome 2 Dirt,” is a dark, hedonistic track that showcases The Fazes’ ability to lock into a metronomic groove and keep the train on the tracks. Lead singer Isela Humerez’s vocals float in an intoxicating sea of reverb, acting more like an additional instrument than a vehicle for decipherable lyrics. It’s the kind of song meant for late nights filled with broken New Year’s resolutions.
Like what you hear? Check out The Fazes at Soda Bar on Thursday, Jan. 4.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists!
In Other News
- The San Diego Zoo’s float won the Sweepstakes Trophy during this weekend’s Rose Parade. (Union-Tribune)
- Ocean Beach’s pier closed once again due to damage from high surf. (Times of San Diego)
- San Diego County announced Tuesday it was allocating $42 million to nine affordable housing developments. Altogether, the developments would produce nearly 900 new homes on a mix of private land, excess county land and public land owned by MTS. (City News Service)
- San Diego County will keep nonprofit SBCS in charge of its migrant center despite calls for more transparency from other aid groups. The county has so far allocated $6 million in funding for the center. (Union-Tribune)
- Embattled Lemon Grove councilmember Liana LeBaron was absent or late to more than half of the council meetings in 2023, a total that dwarfs that of any other councilmember. (Union-Tribune)
- A wildlife crossing meant to allow endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep to safely cross Interstate 8 in Imperial County is moving forward. The overpass is one of about five in the works throughout the state. (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Jakob McWhinney. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.
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