‘We should be locking up criminals, not laundry detergent': San Diego Mayor delivers annual address

While hot issues like homelessness, housing and crime took center stage Wednesday night during Mayor Todd Gloria's 4th State of the City address, he was upstaged for a moment at the Balboa Theater by protesters in support of a “ceasefire” and Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war.

In his roughly 38-minute State of the City address, Gloria announced plans to add at least 1,000 new shelter beds for homeless people, a labor agreement for the city's large construction projects, and a new executive order to expedite certain housing projects, and the mayor said his office is making progress on those plans Thursday.

Gloria, who is running for re-election, touted accomplishments over his mayoral tenure and laid out his goals going forward for addressing homelessness, housing affordability, public safety and infrastructure during Wednesday night's speech at the Balboa Theatre. He applauded his administration for improving roads, a decrease in violent crime and a drop in homelessness.

But he says more work needs to be done and he outlined his ambitious goals, as evidenced by the tent cities that can still be seen on downtown San Diego's sidewalks and along freeways like State Route 163.

Homeless encampment ban

Mayor Gloria touted the homeless encampment ban for a sharp 60% decrease in street homelessness in downtown since reaching its height back in May.

"We are making progress, clearing our sidewalks and getting folks on a better path," said Gloria.

Data from the Downtown San Diego Partnership shows there are about 1,200 hundred people now living in cars or on the streets of downtown -- a two-year low.

James Cloutier is feeling the effects of the ban that allows homeless people to be ticketed or jailed for sleeping near schools, parks and other specified places.

"Life has been hell,” said the Maine transplant. “The guy comes over and says, you either go to jail, carry what you want out of the area or I’m going to take you to jail.”

Mayor Gloria says more than 600 people have enrolled in the Safe Sleeping Program that provides tents in designated locations.

More homeless shelter

In what Gloria called "the largest homeless services proposals this city has ever pursued," he announced plans for 1,000 new beds at sites such as H Barracks near San Diego International Airport and the Old Downtown Central Library on E Street.

"We plan to create additional shelter space along with hundreds of new affordable, permanent homes for low-income and formerly homeless San Diegans," said Gloria, who applauded prior homelessness initiatives such as the Unsafe Camping Ordinance passed by the city council last year, which he said has reduced homelessness throughout downtown.

Gloria also said city homelessness initiatives have gotten more than 3,600 people into permanent housing over the past three years.

The mayor also announced the launch of a philanthropic campaign called San Diegans Together Tackling Homelessness, which Gloria said has already received $250,000 in donations.

Affordable housing

The mayor identified housing shortages as one of the root causes of local homelessness and to that end, announced the signing of an executive order that will require city planning officials to process applications under the Complete Communities program within 30 days.

Gloria said the process usually takes up to a year. The program incentivizes building housing near transit and he said accounted for 1,000 of the new homes permitted last year.

“To every hardworking San Diegan, this mayor wants there to be a place for you in this city. To every young person, that I want you to stay in this city that helped raise and educate you. To every senior on a fixed income, that you shouldn’t have to spend your golden years worried that you’ll lose your home," Gloria said.

The mayor says the City of San Diego issued 8,000 housing permits last year — a 50% jump over 2022.

Gloria also announced a project labor agreement for all major construction projects in the city, which he said "will ensure city projects get done on time and on budget" and "provide the city with a reliable source of highly skilled workers for all city construction projects; encourage the employment of local residents for these good-paying jobs; and meet high standards for worker health and safety."

The agreement will go before the city council in the coming month.

Padres

Gloria also announced plans to rename a street near Petco Park after recently deceased Padres owner Peter Seidler, who Gloria said "acted on his compassion for people experiencing homelessness every single day."

Crime

On the public safety front, Gloria touted data he said showed citywide decreases this year in murders, rapes, robberies, and burglaries, which he partially attributed to aggressive San Diego police recruitment and retention efforts.

While discussing a 12% drop in murder rates and other violent crimes, the mayor was interrupted by protestors supporting Palestinians.

Once the supporters were removed, Mayor Gloria addressed the dangers of fentanyl, the growing crime threat of open-air drug markets, and organized retail theft.

He said he's supporting action to amend Proposition 47, which reclassified certain drug and theft crimes as misdemeanors.

“You shouldn’t have to flag down a Target employee to unlock a plexiglass cabinet just so you can get toothpaste. We should be locking up criminals, not laundry detergent," Gloria said.

Their ambitious goals, Gloria says, will help keep San Diego one of the safest cities in the country.