The homelessness crisis in San Diego is a pressing and visible concern that continues to impact the community deeply.
Despite efforts by county and city leaders through various programs, the challenges surrounding homelessness persist.
On October 4, 2025, Voice of San Diego hosted a critical session on addressing street homelessness during Politifest 2025: Solutions Showdown.
The event featured three speakers, each presenting unique solutions to tackle this ongoing issue.
**Housing as a Fundamental Solution**
Dr. Margot Kushel, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and a leading figure in homelessness research, emphasized that the foundation of a sustainable solution must be housing.
Kushel highlighted the plight of individuals living in encampments, especially those dealing with significant health difficulties.
She referenced a successful initiative in Berkeley where the city relocated individuals living in their vehicles, providing them with non-congregate shelter.
Individuals expressed fear about leaving their cars unguarded, fearing theft or loss.
To address this, the city proposed purchasing their vehicles if they agreed to move into the shelter.
According to Kushel, this approach is crucial, as understanding the underlying ties to the street—be it possessions, lifestyle, or personal circumstances—is essential before facilitating housing.
She asserted that addressing these connections is vital for successfully transitioning individuals away from homelessness.
**The Need for Transitional Triage Centers**
The second speaker, retired Marine Colonel Patrick “Paddy” Gough, advocates for the establishment of triage centers, such as the proposed Sunbreak Ranch.
He described these centers as essential jump-off points for individuals facing homelessness, providing immediate medical assistance and addressing urgent health needs.
Gough stressed the significance of having a safe, transitional environment where individuals can receive crucial support before moving to more stable and permanent housing solutions.
His argument extends to the need for the federal government to declare a state of emergency, which would not only acknowledge the severity of homelessness but also lead to increased funding for solutions.
**Advocating for Permanent Supportive Housing**
The Solutions Showdown found its champion in Iain De Jong, an author and CEO of OrgCode Consulting, who presented a compelling vision of permanent supportive housing as the pivotal solution.
De Jong asserted, “Everybody we work with needs somewhere to live, something to do with someone to love,” capturing the audience’s attention.
He articulated that permanent supportive housing already exists and merely requires scaling up.
This model involves providing permanent homes alongside necessary services that can help individuals experiencing homelessness achieve stability.
According to De Jong, the transition into housing is crucial in the recovery process, as being part of a community contributes significantly to healing.
He expressed concerns that triage facilities often fail to consider the individual humanity of each case, arguing for a shift towards a more empathetic and supportive approach.
To genuinely address the crisis, De Jong estimates that San Diego should establish 2,500 permanent supportive housing units within the next five years, emphasizing acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction as strategies.
He reassured attendees that while the costs associated with building these units are high—a projected $305 million in construction and $6 million annually for operations for every 500 new units—this investment would ultimately reduce annual expenses related to public health and safety responses toward individuals experiencing homelessness.
To finance these initiatives, De Jong proposed leveraging taxes and social impact bonds, forming a model of public-private partnerships to facilitate project funding.
He pointed out that the housing solutions don’t necessarily necessitate new constructions.
Existing structures, such as repurposed hotels or motels, or shared homes with individuals who were previously homeless could serve as viable options.
De Jong concluded, “If we invest in housing, we invest in community, safety, and security,” encapsulating the hopeful outlook on resolving the homelessness crisis in San Diego.
As the discussions at Politifest 2025 highlighted, addressing homelessness requires multifaceted solutions that prioritize individual needs, health, and community integration.
The insights from these speakers provide a roadmap for San Diego to move forward in tackling homelessness effectively.
image source from：voiceofsandiego
