This post originally published in the Morning Report. Subscribe here to get the latest news directly in your inbox.
State Sen. Brian Jones, R-Santee, introduced a bill to ban encampments near schools, open space or transit stops, and prohibit sleeping on sidewalks if shelter beds are available.
Not the first time: Jones’ original bill, SB-31, failed in committee last year. But after the city of San Diego passed a similar ordinance last year, Jones introduced a new version Tuesday, with the support of several Democrats including Sen. Catherine Blakespear, D-Encinitas.
“Our proposed law is modeled after the city of San Diego’s unsafe camping ordinance,” Jones said of the bill, SB1011. “We hope we can take this success across the state.”
Jones made tweaks to the bill, reducing the distance from sensitive sites from 1,000 to 500 feet to prevent large swaths of cities from being restricted. And he swapped out “daycare center, park, or library” for “open space and transit centers,” after advocates for the homeless emphasized the importance of libraries to people without shelter.
He also enlisted Democratic colleagues as co-sponsors including Blakespear and Senators Marie Alvarado-Gil, D-Jackson and Bill Dodd, D-Napa. “I support this bill because simply stated we cannot allow our public spaces to become living spaces,” Blakespear said.
The other side: Activist Rachel Hayes, who was formerly homeless, said the San Diego ordinance – which took effect last summer – is simply chasing people from one camping site to others. California lacks the shelter space and permanent homes needed to get people off the streets safely, she said.
“You better have housing and shelter beds for all these people before you do it,” Hayes said. “You better have a solid plan where you put these people.”
Hayes’ comments about how communities “better have housing and shelter beds” before enacting any sort of encampment ban smacks of entitlement. I understand that some people are struggling, but that doesn’t entitle them to live wherever they feel like on public land, nor does it entitle them to free housing provided by everyone else (taxpayers). The shift from gratitude for services provided to militant, unrealistic expectations does not endear the unhoused to the communities they expect to financially support them.
Another view: Came across following quote “The trouble with blaming powerless people is that although it’s not nearly as scary as blaming the powerful, it does miss the point.” – Molly Ivins
Molly Ivins highlights the futility of blaming powerless individuals, emphasizing that while it may not be as intimidating as holding the powerful accountable, it ultimately fails to address the root causes of societal problems.
One of the root causes of homelessness in San Diego is the cost of housing.
$939.1K – Median listing home price
$872.5K – Median sold home price
Or even rent at minimum wage of $16.85/hr. with 40hr/wk i.e. $2,920/mo. -25% (Fed tax, SS, Medicare, State Tax, Disability) = $2190 – $533/mo. av. used car pmt. = $1657 – $120/mo. insurance, gas, maintenance = $1537 – $200/mo. food = $1337/mo………. just getting sick may make you homeless.
Specifically when addressing homelessness in San Diego, my understanding is that nearly 75% of our homeless population was previously institutionalized. Just over 50% were institutionalized in a penal institution, and almost 20% went directly from a penal institution to the street. I learned this through a podcast that I listened to on VOSD, which discussed the results of a well-funded and extremely thorough survey of our homeless by a well-respected statistician. I cannot help but wonder why the results of this very comprehensive survey are not discussed more often. Not only on VOSD but throughout the San Diego political and media community.