ESCONDIDO — Mayor Dane White has expressed hope for collaboration with county leaders to tackle homelessness but remains concerned that plans for the region may be overlooking the city’s homeless population.
The County Board of Supervisors recently approved an evaluation of county-owned sites for potential emergency shelters for homeless individuals. These shelters could include sleeping cabins, safe parking spots, fabric shelters, or repurposed buildings, focusing on providing essential services.
Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said the evaluation will include seeking partners to provide services at these sites, with a review scheduled in 120 days.
Five sites were initially proposed, including 620 East Valley Pkwy in Escondido, a lot currently pending construction of a new affordable senior housing facility. While the county seeks a firm to develop the project, Lawson-Remer suggested using this site for temporary assistance until the housing project is completed.
However, White said the county never consulted with him about the East Valley site, which he opposes due to its proximity to downtown and potential negative impact on local businesses.
“It’s appalling that they didn’t tell us about this,” White said, who attended the Feb. 6 supervisor meeting at the last minute to share his grievances about the proposal. “It’s very frustrating, to say the least.”
Following White’s concerns about the East Valley site, the board agreed to remove any reference to the East Valley site from the list of proposed locations, but the lot may still be considered.
White suggested considering surplus city-owned properties for a permanent shelter, prioritizing Escondido’s homeless residents. Since last year, White has collaborated with Councilmember Joe Garcia on identifying potential sites and policy changes through a homelessness subcommittee.
White said staff has not yet finalized the list of potential sites but should have it done by the end of February or early March, after which the City Council would discuss it along with other policy changes to address homelessness.
If the county were to work with the city on creating a permanent shelter on city-owned land, White said his biggest stipulation is that the shelter would prioritize Escondido’s homeless population.
“I’m not going to do anything that doesn’t prioritize those that are here now,” White said. “We have the highest concentrations of homeless in the county and it’s not getting any better.”
Escondido has seen a significant increase in its unsheltered population. According to San Diego County’s Point-in-Time Homeless Count, Escondido’s unsheltered population grew by 67% between 2022 and 2023.
Some organizations, like the Lucky Duck Foundation, a nonprofit that funds homeless resource projects throughout the San Diego region, have criticized the mayor’s opposition to the 620 East Valley site, arguing that rejecting county assistance would hinder potential solutions.
“The mayor wants a city-run shelter that’s somehow limited to those who lived in Escondido before they lost housing,” said Lucky Duck Communications Director Brian Hayes via email. “Mayor White says that accepting county help will force Escondido to accept the needy from surrounding cities. He’s wrong on this – the Board of Supervisors hasn’t even made the land available or asked for proposals, let alone decided who gets into the resulting housing.”
Hayes said it’s still too early to tell if the county will agree to provide its property and funding.
“We sincerely hope Mayor White changes his mind about opposing assistance before it’s even offered,” he said.
White said he is tired of the city contributing resources to projects that don’t prioritize Escondido’s homeless population in the city.
“We can’t keep chasing solutions that don’t prioritize this city,” he said.
White said that the city could pay for a new homeless shelter beyond county funding — and given its current structural budget deficit — by either legalizing recreational cannabis businesses in the city or approving a one-cent sales tax initiative currently being petitioned by local public safety and business groups.
The mayor intends to form a cannabis subcommittee soon to determine what language would go on the ballot that allows for recreational cannabis sales. At the same time, the City Council would give its final approval to place the item on the ballot.
White proposed alternative funding sources for a new shelter, such as legalizing recreational cannabis businesses or approving a sales tax initiative. He plans to form a cannabis subcommittee to explore this option further.
Ultimately, White insists on prioritizing Escondido’s homeless population in future shelter plans, emphasizing the city’s urgent need for practical solutions to address homelessness.
