HOT TOPIC
The issue:
Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced that the city is opening a transitional camp area for the homeless at 20th and B St. near Balboa Park. The site, which opened Monday, is intended to be a temporary measure until three temporary bridge shelters open later this year. A press release from the mayor’s office says the site will be able to accommodate more than 200 people.
What people are saying:
“This represents a significant expansion of our homeless service network and is one of the most immediate and effective actions we can take to provide relief to unsheltered people who are suffering and want help.”
—Mayor Kevin Faulconer at a press conference announcing the city-sanctioned site
“The sanctioned camps are an admission from our leaders that we failed to provide real solutions.”
—Michael McConnell, homeless advocate (via Twitter)
“This is going to be a model. We’re going to make this place bullet-proof so other communities will say, “‘You know what, we want to put one of those in our neighborhood and address the issues we have.’”
—Bob McElroy, Alpha Project president, whose organization is overseeing the site (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Our take:
It’s good to see the city taking action (finally), but we still have some concerns. Mayor Faulconer and city leaders cannot set their sights on short-term fixes and then pat themselves on the back for solving the problem. There needs to be an equal focus on long-term solutions. There also needs to be effective communication about the site’s availability to the people who need it most. On the morning it opened, a Homeless Outreach Team officer reported the site was at capacity around 10 a.m., while just a couple of minutes later, an Alpha Project staff member said there was still room. When we called 211 around noon, they said the site wasn’t even open yet. Granted, it was the first day the site was in operation, so some confusion is understandable, but being able to communicate real-time availability is critical if this site intends to actually be any help to homeless individuals.
CUTE OF THE WEEK
This Lakeside Golden Retriever, who got his big ol’ doggo head stuck in a wall while chasing a ball. Luckily, LKS Engine 2 extracted him and reported that the pooch immediately wanted to chase the ball again
HAM OF THE WEEK
This week’s “It’s Only Censorship if it Happens to Us” award goes to the SDSU College Republicans, who went full #FreeSpeech snowflake when the university, citing security concerns, cancelled an appearance by known racist/Nazi sympathizer/pro-pedophilia personality Milo Yiannopoulos. This is the same org who recently took issue with NFL players kneeling and got all butthurt when an SDSU professor dared to challenge students to examine their white privilege. #irony
COMING DOWN THE PIPE
A preview of the important and idiotic items possibly coming to a ballot near you.
According to the Sacramento Bee, former Marina, California mayoral candidate Kevin Saunders recently filed a measure to decriminalize psilocybin-containing mushrooms, aka magic mushrooms, aka ‘shrooms. He’ll now need 365,880 voter signatures to qualify for the 2018 ballot. Says Saunders, “Not only are the soccer moms high now, but some of them are taking mushrooms.”
Verdict: We doubt he’ll get enough signatures, but ya never know. Also, what soccer games is this dude going to? Can we come?
NEWSY BITS
(click on upper-right corner of image to enlarge)
