Like many cities in the United States, National City is experiencing an increase in its homeless population. Around the city, homeless encampments have been built in areas near shopping centers, by local waterways, and in neighborhoods. This increase has prompted the city to work at addressing the issue of homelessness as both a public safety and economic issue. Based on meetings with city staff, their concerns include acquiring a more accurate count of the homeless population, quantifying the strain that this population places on the city police force, and the lack of resources in the city to address this issue. The proposals in this report reflect students’ attempts to address these concerns using both tested methods and novel approaches.
This report is comprised of summaries which detail the components of policy programs as well as the political and fiscal feasibility of each. They are grouped by policy area; these areas are: housing, prevention and partnership, mental health, and infrastructure based recommendations. While each recommendation attempts to address the city’s concerns related to homelessness, both cost and political feasibility must be taken into account. Cost is an obvious concern for a small, local government entity, and political feasibility, or the likelihood that there will be community support for the tools, is an important factor to consider. At present, it may be that only a few policy tools are feasible for the city to pursue, however other tools may become more feasible over time. This report acknowledges the challenges associated with each tool, but should the city have the means and motivation, these tools are a logical starting point.
Recommendations most feasible for National City, at the current time, are both the municipal shower program and the extension of the ARTS partnership. These tools take into account existing city resources, rely on nonprofit collaboration, and encourage the city to take an active role in addressing homelessness. The municipal shower program would incorporate public safety personnel and community volunteers in providing open shower times for homeless individuals. The program would rely heavily on community donations for shower supplies. It is a novel approach to the issue of pollution in the waterways and in providing essential or basic services to the homeless in the city. The ARTS partnership has the potential to result in both the beautification of the community and the provision of services to youth experiencing homelessness in National City.
While other tools represent higher costs, at some point in time they may become viable solutions for the city. This report can serve as a guide to a variety of potential strategies for addressing homelessness in National City.
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
The Sage Project Contact Info
Kristofer Patron
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kpatron@sdsu.edu
(619) 594-0103
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Shawn Flanigan
Public Administration
Local Government / Community Contact
Development