SAN DIEGO — On January 25, more than 1,600 volunteers fanned across San Diego County to count the number of people living on the streets, in canyons, parkland, and riverbeds. Among them was Balakrishnan Rajagopal, a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing for the United Nations.
Rajagopal was invited to tour San Diego during the point-in-time count and assess the conditions that many unhoused residents are living in.
Rajagopal, who has traveled across the globe to third-world and war-torn countries to report on human rights violations, says he was surprised to see the conditions for many of those living on San Diego streets as well as at the city-run Safe Sleeping tent sites.
"What jumped out at me was the inadequate conditions that I witnessed during the tour," Rajagopal told CBS 8 during a January 25 interview. "Conditions are terrible in terms of violating the dignity of human beings. I also arrived just as the floods had occurred in the city because of the rains and It was very sad to see people living in such conditions, not something that you expect to see in the richest country in the world, and not something you would expect to see in a place which has effective functioning governments. We are not talking about failed states after all."
As for the tents that the city put up at its Safe Sleeping Sites: "I visited some of those [tent sites]," said Rajagopal. "I must say that the conditions prevailing in those camps and the kinds of tents that are being used, are not at all in conformity with basic standards, in respect to the right to adequate housing."
As for what's driving homelessness in San Diego County, not surprisingly Rajagopal pointed to the cost of housing and lack of affordable units throughout the region.
"There is a massive affordable housing crisis in San Diego. Most ordinary people are priced out of the market. And they are living in a state of permanent insecurity. Homelessness is simply a consequence of a structural problem, which is that the housing market as it exists, excludes too many people. They just can't live in this area," said the United Nations rapporteur.
During his visit, Rajagopal said he met with several state, county, and city staff and elected officials, however, was unable to coordinate a meeting with Mayor Todd Gloria.
Rajagopal praised those from local nonprofits and other organizations for taking action to fill the gaps where local governmental agencies fall short, which, according to him was also surprising to see.
"There is a kind of schizophrenia in the policy process," he said. "On the one hand, the city council passed a resolution last year, expressing the view that housing is a human right, which I welcome very much. On the other hand, you also find the safe camp ordinance and other such measures. Those, in my opinion, are directly contradictory to the vision of housing as a human right."
Mayor Todd Gloria's Office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. The story will be updated if and when they do.
