The controversial proposed 1,000-bed mega shelter for the homeless at Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street in San Diego's Middletown neighborhood was the topic of a closed session meeting at city hall Monday.
Mayor Todd Gloria announced the project publicly in April but immediately received pushback over the cost and long-term commitment.
A spokesperson for the city originally confirmed the investment to convert the 65,000-foot warehouse into a shelter would be $18 million for retrofitting, $30 million per year for operating costs, plus $1.9 million annually for a 35-year lease that would have two five-year renewal options.
The building's owner, Douglas Hamm, later amended the terms, according to his representative, to include reduced rent, a shorter lease length and "significant investment" in property improvements, if necessary.
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After the closed-session city council meeting Monday, the mayor released a statement saying, in part, "Negotiations surrounding such a large and ambitious proposal are complex. This cannot be accomplished overnight, but we are on track, and I am fully committed to getting this done."
Later in the day, NBC 7 got this additional statement from Gloria:
"We're discussing very sensitive real estate negotiations in a private setting," Gloria said. "When and if we get a deal, that will all become public. It is inhumane to leave folks on the sidewalks. It is far better to get them indoors, connected to care and to address the causes of homelessness."
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Gloria's 2024 opponent, Larry Turner, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the industrial location in Middletown. He's worried that people who stay at the shelter will be walled in by the freeway and train tracks, and that the shelter is not easily accessible on foot or for people who are not able-bodied.
“We've got to have those services for them," Turner said. "You can't just put them in a tent. You can't just throw them in a shelter like that. We got to really reach out, and there's plenty of land the city already owns. We don't need to get into more real estate deals."
The city said the shelter will have on-site case management and connect people to services. While the closed-door meeting was happening inside city hall, NBC 7 spoke with Anthony Ramirez, who was sitting outside Civic Plaza.
"They need another shelter,” said Ramirez, who said he was turned away from shelters that had no beds available until he got a space at Golden Hall, where the city is currently operating a shelter. “San Diego needs another one. It means a lot. I mean, it's a nice soft bed. Better than just concrete, laying down on it.”
Ramirez said services, including a job training program, have helped him improve his circumstances. He said he is looking for a job as a cook and a place of his own.
“I mean, it's not the best place, but it's a place to, you know, to rest your head," Ramirez said. "I mean, the streets, it's not really a good place to do anything. I don't like being on the street."
