SAN DIEGO — A record number of unsheltered San Diego residents have died in the past two years. Those lives were honored Monday night outside the County Administration Building, where dozens gathered for World Homeless Day.
Five hundred homeless San Diegans died in 2021, a nearly 50% increase compared to the year before.
"We pray for a future where no one dies on our streets without dignity," said John Brady of Lived Experience Advisors.
At Monday evening's remembrance of those homeless who have lost their lives, a part of World Homeless Day, prayer combined with powerful calls to action.
"We need real change," said Yusef Miller of the North County Equity & Justice Coalition. "We need real legislation and we need our homeless siblings off the streets!"
An increasing number of those unsheltered on our streets are senior citizens who are the often most vulnerable.
"We are seeing far too many people experiencing homelessness, far too many aging who have done their service to this community and to our nation," said Tamera Kohler of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
Earlier Monday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria shared what is being done to combat this crisis.
"We've added 38 percent more beds in our city in just the two years I've been mayor," he said. "I need the other cities in this county making similar concerted efforts."
Homeless advocates who came out Monday night said that bolder steps need to be taken.
"There are not enough beds, not enough services," said homeless advocate Michael McConnell.
"We have got to treat this like any other disaster: we need to provide immediate aid and relief to the victims," said Martha Sullivan of the San Diego Housing Emergency Alliance. She is pushing for the local leaders to use the city-owned Mission Bay RV Resort as an emergency campground.
"That would be 500 households who could safely stay there in their tents or in their vehicle," Sullivan told CBS 8. "They're readily available for housing placement."
Last week, San Diego police once again started enforcing an ordinance mandating homeless San Diegans take down their tents from public right-of-ways during the daytime.
"There are reasons we have to act to make sure there are basic health and safety measures taken during the day to ensure a basic level of sanitation and cleanliness," said San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera.
"But at the end of the day, homes solve homelessness," he added. "Shelters don't solve homelessness, arresting people for having an encampment doesn't solve homelessness: homes solve homelessness."
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