San Diego Mayor’s Call for More Homeless Shelter Funding Sparks Protest

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria held a press conference on June 6 to rally the City Council’s support for his 2025 budget proposal that includes increased funding for homeless issues. Mr. Gloria’s proposals include a large-scale homeless shelter at a Middletown location, and a “safe parking” lot at a demolished navy barracks site, H Barracks, near the airport, where the press conference was held.  The mayor said his “Protecting our Progress” budget “increases funding in order to continue getting people off the streets and into shelter and care.” The council is scheduled to vote on the budget on June 11. The city is currently negotiating a lease for the homeless shelter with the owner of vacant commercial warehouse on the corner of Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street. The shelter is projected to hold roughly 1,000 people at a time and will be the largest shelter in the county....