County of San Diego
NEW SHAMROCK ISSUED 5/23/24: In February, we issued a “shipwreck” to a local government agency after sending 9 siblings, all under the age of 18, out of safe care and onto the streets. This was due, in part, to a new law that had unintended consequences where technically the law was being followed, but, at the harm of putting children on the streets of San Diego. Regardless, the leadership and professionals at the County Department of Child and Family Well-Being took quick and compassionate action to find shelter for the young siblings, and all are now safely off the streets. As such, we are pleased to announce this shipwreck has become a “shamrock.” And, we hope all local government entities and service providers treat similar situations with equal urgency to protect our most vulnerable youth. We encourage you to watch this video which explains the issue in greater detail.
(UPDATED ABOVE) SHIPWRECK ISSUED 2/20/24: Polinsky Children's Center and Child Protective Services are receiving a SHIPWRECK for sending a family of 9 children to the streets. Being between the ages of 2 and 17, these are the same children that these government organizations exist to help. Polinsky is deferring to CPS, while CPS has not filed a claim for two weeks while these children are seeking safe shelter and are being left to fend for themselves. This is a failure we feel needs to be publicized and rectified. San Diego must do better.
SHIPWRECK 5/30/23: County Supervisor Jim Desmond & Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey
For criticizing and ultimately saying “no” to the plan to pursue Homekey funding from the state to purchase nearly 500 housing units while not providing ideas or alternative strategies that would help people end their homelessness. It is much easier to say “no” than it is to develop a plan that will reduce homelessness. Sending unsheltered people to another city is not an appropriate or sustainable response for any city. Moreover, it places the burden and cost on other cities. Each of the 18 cities within San Diego County must do its fair share within its own city limits and budget to reduce homelessness and provide appropriate services and shelters.
Correction: a prior version of this Shipwreck stated that Mayor Bailey touts Coronado as having solved homelessness. While some media outlets stated that Mayor Bailey and Coronado had solved homelessness, Mayor Bailey has not corrected them but he has also not formally made this claim.
SHAMROCK: The County of San Diego and City of San Diego earned a shamrock for their support of Urban Street Angels to add 20 new immediately-available beds for youth experiencing homelessness. The County provided funds to cover construction and capital costs to make these beds possible, and the cost per bed to do so was economical. It was a solid investment. The City of San Diego, through the San Diego Housing Commission, is providing funding to operate the beds, meaning Urban Street Angels can provide supportive services and staff to help youth not only move off the streets, but also keep them off the streets by connecting them to education, employment, and housing opportunities to completely improve the trajectory of their lives. Maximization of the asset occupied by Urban Street Angels and this effective use of government dollars to add urgently-needed shelter beds for youth is exactly what should be done time and again throughout the County to reduce homelessness. And it should be done at scale so that significantly more than 20 youth can move off the streets once and for good.
SHAMROCK: County of San Diego’s funding for shelters & the Cities who pursued it. San Diego County’s commitment to make $10 million available to all 18 cities throughout San Diego County to increase shelters provided much-needed funds to add urgently-needed beds. The cities of San Diego, Oceanside, and Vista pursued and secured these funds because of their plans to add immediately available beds. Additionally, because the County of San Diego made an underutilized parking lot available in the Midway District, a 150-bed mental health bridge shelter was opened in September of this year. Similarly, the city of Oceanside is converting a shuttered high school into a shelter. Activating underutilized government properties as these jurisdictions are doing is critical, cost-effective, and timely, and other cities and elected officials should follow suit.
SHIPWRECK: City of San Diego’s record-setting unsheltered homelessness. Since 2012, the Downtown San Diego Partnership has conducted a monthly count of unsheltered homeless individuals. During six of the last ten months, the count has reached new record highs, including an all-time high of 1,704 in November of 2022. Additionally, the count of homeless individuals on the streets of downtown has exceeded 1,000 people for 18 out of the last 19 months. The last time their count exceeded 1,000 people in a month was December of 2017, just ahead of the Hepatitis-A outbreak and crisis, which resulted in the deaths of 20 San Diegans. The sharp and ongoing increases in unsheltered homelessness in the heart of San Diego County is entirely unacceptable and has resulted in a public health and public safety crises. Downtown is arguably the epicenter of tourism, business, conventions, civic events and other activities and reducing homelessness and criminal behavior in this area is imperative for a myriad of reasons. A record-high alone is a shipwreck; record-high numbers in six of the last ten months is a tragedy and catastrophe of epic proportions. This sharp increase in unsheltered homelessness and subsequent illegal and dangerous activity has created daily unsafe and harmful circumstances for those who work, live or visit downtown. For example, the Youth Assistance Coalition is located downtown and aids hundreds of homeless youth every year who are trying to overcome homelessness. Instead, the youth they serve have been put in harm’s way due to limited public safety and sharp increases in unsheltered homelessness and criminal behavior immediately surrounding its building.
