City of San Diego Should Reject Proposed Homeless Shelter Lease

Homelessness will continue to increase as long as landlords, whether local property owners or investors, can raise rents and build more housing that increases the number of vacancies while not adding those structures to the list of “affordable or available” rentals.

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Dr. Warren Editorial

By Dr. John E. Warren, Publisher,  San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper

The San Diego City Council is considering a proposed long term lease agreement for a former industrial facility known as the Kettner and Vine Site for a 1000 bed homeless shelter. This agreement should be rejected for the following reasons: First, there was no open bid process or request for proposals which would have allowed the consideration of other lease options in an effort to get the best deal for the city in terms of price and long term cost; Second, the City could have purchased the property when it went on the market in 2015. Such an approach would have allowed an appraisal of the property in terms of determining its true market value, including the cost of modifications and upgrades for intended use by the city. Third, after the 101 Ash Street scandal, one would think that not only the City Council, but also the City Attorney’s Office would have done the same due diligence that the Independent Budget Analyst (IBA) did in preparing its report to the City Council; Fourth, the proposed 1000 beds for the homeless does not represent 1000 new beds but rather about 500 plus since at least 400 of existing shelter space would be consolidated with the new structure.

There is no room in the City budget for new funding to sustain this project over the proposed years of the lease. And finally, the proposed project is not the solution to the City’s housing crisis. Homelessness will continue to increase as long as landlords, whether local property owners or investors, can raise rents and build more housing that increases the number of vacancies while not adding those structures to the list of “affordable or available” rentals. Once again, let us remember that 49 percent of the residents of San Diego County are renters. Such a voting block could change a great deal beyond property owners lobbying against rent control and change. The time to act is before one becomes a victim of the crisis.

Where do you stand? It might be a good time to speak to the City Council as so many are doing.

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