On Tuesday evening, the National City Council will decide whether to approve plans to implement a homeless encampment ban.
ABC 10News checked in with the only shelter in the city to see the impact this decision could have on an organization that already has limited bed space.
“I was going from hotel to hotel, from place to place with friends,” says Rose, describing the reality she faced when she couldn’t afford rent. She ended up on the streets, trying to survive.
“You would see people out on the streets who have knives and guns. They were also homeless people. There were a lot of things going on out there. There’s a lot of danger out there,” Rose said.
She eventually found help at the South County Lighthouse, operated by the San Diego Rescue Mission in National City, where she’s receiving the assistance she needs to get back on her feet. While things have worked out for her, Rose worries that won’t be the case for others if the National City Council decides to implement an encampment ban.
The ordinance would ban people from camping on city streets from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. when shelter beds are available. It would also ban encampments near schools, in waterways, and within proximity to any transit hub, regardless of bed availability.
ABC 10News spoke with Paul Armstrong of the San Diego Rescue Mission about the impact this ban could have on their shelter, which is already at full capacity.
“This is where we have to recognize there’s this tension that we’re managing,” Armstrong said. “Encampments aren’t safe; we have to address public health safety, and we don’t have enough shelter beds. We need to figure out how to work together as a community.”
He added that in October, the South County Lighthouse plans to add extra beds, increasing their capacity from 75 to 125 beds.
Rose hopes the City Council considers other solutions besides a ban to help address the problem.
“There are people who really need help, and they’re going to be hurting if they decide to do this,” Rose said.
