It’s a problem San Diego and every major city faces, the problem of homelessness.
And while everyone agrees that it’s a problem and everyone agrees that something has to be done to solve it, there are a lot fewer people who agree on how best to do that.
Case in point is this week’s debate in San Diego over Mayor Faulconer’s plan to use a former indoor skydiving place in the East Village as the city’s first Housing Navigation Center…. a place the mayor and backers of it say, where any homeless person can get the support services and housing assistance they need all under one roof.
The idea of a central intake center for homeless people has been talked about in San Diego for a long time.
But the fierce debate at the City Council meeting where it was approved is a sign that not everyone agrees on the best answer to reducing homelessness. Because it takes money.
The council spent 7 million dollars to buy the vacant skydiving place and this week agreed to spend 1.9 million to turn it into a place to help the homeless.
All but one Democrat on the council voted against it but the Republican mayor’s plan squeaked by.
Trying to solve the homeless problem has never been easy and there is no easy fix. But it’s a problem that has to be solved even if it’s a hard and nasty fight at times.
(Photo credit reporting partner 10News)