Council President Sean Elo-Rivera is leading the charge to provide Mayor Todd Gloria with new powers to address the city’s housing and homelessness crises. In response to the impending loss of hundreds of shelter beds, Elo-Rivera is proposing a process for the mayor to declare housing and homelessness emergencies under specific conditions. This would allow the mayor to bypass competitive bidding processes and City Council approval on certain contracts, expediting the response to these urgent issues. Elo-Rivera also suggests regular quarterly reports to the City Council on the progress of the emergency actions taken to address it, providing transparency and accountability.
Elo-Rivera emphasized the importance of equipping the mayor and the council with every possible tool to address homelessness, considering it an ongoing state of emergency. Mayor Gloria, initially hesitant about another emergency declaration, now sees the potential benefits of these new powers if approved by the City Council.
While the mayor may not immediately declare an emergency if the council approves, the door is open for quicker action in establishing new shelters to combat homelessness in San Diego.
