Mayor Gloria Issues Statement on Kettner and Vine Proposal
NEGOTIATIONS ON TRACK AMID CRITICAL NEED FOR LARGE-SCALE SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2024
CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov
SACRAMENTO – Mayor Todd Gloria today issued the following statement regarding ongoing negotiations surrounding his proposal to create a large-scale homeless shelter and services complex:
“Negotiations surrounding such a large and ambitious proposal are complex. This cannot be accomplished overnight, but we are on track, and I am fully committed to getting this done."
“While we have made great strides to address the homelessness crisis, both from a prevention standpoint and a dramatic expansion of shelter options, the fact is, there are too many people who still face the dangers of living in unsafe encampments. We must continue to act with urgency to bring people in off the street."
“We have an opportunity to do just that with the addition of 1,000 beds at a new long-term shelter that could operate like the Operation Shelter to Home program we housed at the convention center, with a wide array of wrap-around supportive services, during the pandemic. Such a facility would go hand-in-hand with our work to prevent more people from falling into homelessness, build more affordable housing and expand behavioral health treatment options.”
Actions Mayor Gloria has taken to address homelessness:
- Expanded street outreach
- More than doubled the number of options unsheltered San Diegans have to get off the streets
- Expanded the Safe Parking Program
- Launched a Safe Sleeping Program at two sites
- Passed a Tenant Protection Ordinance to help people at risk of eviction remain in their homes
- Created a legal-assistance fund for people at risk of eviction
- Taken numerous actions to spur the production of affordable housing:
- Two Housing Action Packages to make it easier to build affordable housing
- Bridge to Home, an initiative to help affordable housing builders with gap-financing assistance
- An executive order requiring the City to speed up permitting of affordable housing
- Successfully advocated for statewide behavioral health reforms, such as CARE Court and conservatorship reform
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