San Diego Councilmember Stephen Whitburn said affordable housing is the long-term goal when it comes to getting people off the streets.
When the encampment ban went into effect in July, Whitburn says there were more than 2,100 San Diegans living on downtown streets. Now, he reports there are 846, which is a 60% decline.
“We are clearly moving in the right direction,” he said. “Now, we need to build upon this progress and help the remaining folks on the streets into safer and healthier places.”
Whitburn attributes this decline to more affordable housing and says the city has approved every affordable housing proposal presented.
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He also said there are less people on the streets because they’ve been able to move into homeless shelters and the two safe sleeping sites in the area.
But this is just for downtown. In August, NBC7 spoke with neighboring cities like Lemon Grove, La Mesa and Chula Vista that are seeing an influx of homelessness.
One of the safe sleeping sites at Balboa Park is being called “tent city" by neighbors.
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Amber Hanson has been living at the site for a month.
“This is just another hopeless dream,” Hanson said. “It’s a hopeless dream. False realities for all of us.”
After four years on the streets, she said she’s still holding her breath and needs to see more progress.
“They told me when I first moved in that I should be housed once two and four months,” she said. “I don't see that happening because, if that's the case, then what's happening with my friends that have been there for four months? That I’ve seen leave the streets and go to safe camping. They’re still in safe camping.”
Whitburn said more progress is coming and there are thousands of affordable housing units in development.
Construction at Harrington Heights will begin on Jan. 30. It will have 273 units of exclusively low-income housing.
