SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson looks to follow the city's lead in outlawing homeless encampments on public sidewalks, in parks, and near schools.
On Tuesday, October 24, Supervisor Anderson hopes to gain support from his colleagues in pursuing an Unsafe Camping Ordinance in San Diego County, according to a recently posted board agenda.
In his office's report, Supervisor Anderson says that while the city is moving in the right direction by cleaning up illegal encampments, such as the large tent site on North Magnolia Ave between the border of El Cajon and Santee, more needs to be done.
According to Anderson's staff report, "[E]nactment of an unsafe camping ordinance will provide another tool to help clean up similar encampments on a wider scale throughout the County’s unincorporated communities. I am, therefore asking my colleagues to support the introduction of an Unsafe Camping Ordinance that would apply to the County’s unincorporated area. I am also asking for support for direction to County staff to identify potential properties that could serve as regional homeless shelter solutions to help ensure the availability of shelter space to move those living in encampments and connect them with wrap-around services and a path to permanent housing."
In the report, Anderson says if passed the ban will allow law enforcement to remove individuals staying in encampments in unincorporated areas of San Diego County as well as empower staff and deputies to remove property stored on public property in hopes of protecting "vacant property, such as the San Diego River corridor, from fire and pollution."
Anderson states that in conjunction the county should begin to look into establishing partnerships with other jurisdictions in hopes of increasing shelter space and resources for the thousands of unsheltered people throughout San Diego County.
Included in the proposal is a direction for county staff to look at vacant properties that could be converted into shelters, such as the former Fry's Electronics site on Murphy Canyon Road near Aero Drive.
The proposal, as was and still is the case for the city of San Diego, is not without its critics.
Prior to passing its ban, San Diego city officials and Mayor Todd Gloria was met with staunch opposition from homeless organizations such as Alliance San Diego and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness who argued that banning people from living on the streets without adequate shelter space only makes matters worse.
According to numbers obtained by CBS 8, shelter space is scarce, with an average of 25 shelter beds available on a daily basis in the city of San Diego for women, men, unaccompanied youth, and transitional-age youth.
In fact, in September 2023, the San Diego Housing Commission said that four out of every five people who needed a shelter bed for the night did not get one.
Yet despite the shortage of shelter beds throughout the region cities across San Diego County, and now county leadership, are poised to outlaw tents on streets, sidewalks, and parks.
In July 2023, weeks after the city of San Diego passed its ban, Poway elected officials followed suit. Since, cities such as Chula Vista, Encinitas, and El Cajon have signaled that they too are looking into similar bans.
In a statement to CBS 8, Supervisor Anderson said, “I campaigned on the promise to fix homelessness and that’s what I have been laser-focused on doing—I’m not interested in upholding the status quo. I’m hopeful that my colleagues will agree with me that we need to give our law enforcement agencies every tool in the toolbox if we are serious about solving this crisis.”
County Supervisor Anderson will seek support for the camping ban proposal during the Board's October 24 meeting.
