The nonprofit Lucky Ducky Foundation added four new entries to its Shamrocks & Shipwrecks recognition program for both positive and negative actions by local political groups toward the issue of homelessness.
The City and County of San Diego were cited for a shared Shamrock and the City of San Diego was recognized for its own “positive” proposal.
San Diego County and Coronado shared a Shipwreck and Santee was given its own negative mark by Lucky Duck.
The announcements came on May 30, 2023, bringing the total number of designations by the program to 19. That includes 10 Shamrocks and 9 Shipwrecks.
“We want this list to be a catalyst for action,” Lucky Duck executive director Drew Moser said when the Shamrocks & Shipwrecks initiative was unveiled in December 2022. “Our intent is to help reduce homelessness.”
At latest count, The City of San Diego has been given four Shamrocks and four Shipwrecks. The County of San Diego has two and two.
Chula Vista has one of each. La Mesa, Oceanside and Vista each have one Shamrock. Coronado and Santee each have one Shipwreck.
The latest designations, with comments from the Lucky Duck Foundation, are:
Shamrocks
San Diego City Council & Mayor Todd Gloria, County Board Chair Nora Vargas, County Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer & Joel Anderson
“For coming together to support the San Diego Housing Commission’s application for Homekey funding that if approved would quickly house 480 people currently living on the streets who are a growing percentage of seniors, youth, and individuals deemed chronically homeless. This effort would provide immediately available beds coupled with supportive services from the County, including mental health and addiction treatment. Additionally, Supervisor Anderson has asked the County to do a feasibility study of placing tiny homes at San Pasqual Academy to provide additional infrastructure for foster youth. This collaboration to pursue and deploy funding that is made readily available from the state specifically for the purpose of housing youth, seniors, and the chronically homeless is a constructive step and one strategy among many that must be implemented to start the process of reducing homelessness.”
City of San Diego (Mayor Todd Gloria and Councilmember Stephen Whitburn)
“For their proposed unsafe camping ban, which would make it illegal for encampments to be within two blocks of a school, homeless shelter, waterway, and some parks, regardless of whether any shelter beds are available. While we continue to urge law enforcement to protect innocent people from the criminal element and violent criminal behavior that revolves around the homeless population, this proposed unsafe camping ordinance is necessary to reduce encampments and unsheltered homelessness. It also reinforces the critical need for more immediately available beds. We applaud Councilmember Whitburn and Mayor Gloria for taking steps to reduce unsheltered homelessness and increase public health and public safety. To be clear, we do not in any way endorse the “criminalization of homelessness.” Rather, we fully support the City of San Diego’s ability to connect our homeless neighbors to lifesaving resources off the streets to reduce homelessness and protect public health and public safety. Should City Council not approve this proposed ordinance, we will reverse this shamrock to a shipwreck.”
Shipwrecks
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond & Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey
“For criticizing and ultimately saying “no” to the plan to pursue Homekey funding from the state to purchase nearly 500 housing units while not providing ideas or alternative strategies that would help people end their homelessness. It is much easier to say “no” than it is to develop a plan that will reduce homelessness. Additionally, while Mayor Bailey touts Coronado as having solved homelessness, sending unsheltered people to another city is not an appropriate or sustainable response for any city. Moreover, it places the burden and cost on other cities. Each of the 18 cities within San Diego County must do its fair share within its own city limits and budget to reduce homelessness and provide appropriate services and shelters.”
Santee (Santee City Council)
“For shunning the opportunity to have tiny homes to provide shelter for people living along the riverbeds and issuing citations to people in homeless encampments while offering zero shelter beds. Issuing citations without offering a plausible and humane pathway off the streets is a waste of time and government resources. It is also not an effective use of law enforcement, which is historically very effective at connecting unsheltered neighbors to shelter and other resources to help end their homelessness. Citing people who do not have resources to pay the fine while offering them no place to relocate is ineffective and unpractical.” SDSun
