SAN DIEGO OFFICIALS HAVE AND CONTINUE TO DEPRIVE THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SHELTER, HOUSING, SAFETY, SECURITY AND ADEQUATE ACCESS TO HYGIENIC RESOURCES (BATHROOMS & SHOWERS). 

IN A 2017 REPORT BY GARY WARTH OF THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE, IT WAS REVEALED THAT SAN DIEGO VASTLY UNDERCOUNTS HOMELESS BY 50%. NATIONWIDE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT HOMELESS COUNTS ARE ALSO UNDERCOUNTED, AS THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO) REPORTED IN AUGUST 2020. ACCORDING TO A 2001 STUDY, HOMELESS COUNTS ARE ACTUALLY 2.5 TO 10.2 TIMES HIGHER THAN REPORTED, YIELDING A POTENTIAL TRUE COUNT OF ANYWHERE FROM 1.419 MILLION TO 5.79 MILLION.

THE VAST UNDERCOUNTING REVEALS THAT OFFICIALS ARE NOT TRULY SERVING THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS. HOWEVER, THEY GIVE OFF THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY ARE.

CALIFORNIA NEITHER RECOGNIZES THE RIGHT TO SHELTER OR HOUSING FOR HUMANS, HOWEVER EXISTING CALIFORNIA LAW (AB 2343) PROVIDES A STRAY DOG OR CAT 6 DAYS OF SHELTER BEFORE THEY RISK BEING EUTHANIZED. 

THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH SPECIFIC CRIMES, ARE DENIED ENTRY TO ALL SHELTERS, HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND SAFE PARKING, THEREBY DENYING SAFETY AND SECURITY, FORCING THEM TO LIVE ON THE STREETS, HARASSING THEM, AND CRIMINALLY PENALIZING THEM WHILE LIVING ON THE STREETS.

IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, NO STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE CONDITIONS OF SHELTERS IN SAN DIEGO TO DETERMINE IF THOSE CONDITIONS ARE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL, OR COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS TO ATTAIN SELF-CARE AND SELF-SUPPORT.

IN A FEBRUARY 2020 REPORT, IT WAS STATED THAT THE DEPRIVATION OF SHELTER MEETS THE CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED TORTURE UNDER THE 1984 UNITED NATIONS (UN) INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT.

FURTHERMORE, IN ANOTHER REPORT, THE UNITED NATIONS CRITICIZED THE UNITED STATES FOR CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS.

DURING THE HEPATITIS A OUTBREAK IN 2017, SLOW LEGISLATIVE RESPONSE LED TO 20 PEOPLE DYING. NOW, DURING THE CURRENT SURGE OF COVID-19, SAN DIEGO IS POTENTIALLY DEALING WITH A MEDIUM SEVERITY AMONG ITS' HOMELESS POPULATION. WHEN TESTING WAS FINALLY CONDUCTED AT THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER, A MONTH AFTER OPENING AS AN ALPHA PROJECT-RAN CONGESTED AND UNSANITARY TEMPORARY SHELTER FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, TWO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WERE FOUND TO HAVE CONTRACTED COVID-19. 

IN FACT, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF HUD AND OTHER TOP STATE AGENCIES TO MONITOR THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION, INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN GATHERED REGARDING INFECTIONS OR DEATHS IN SOCIETYS' VULNERABLE GROUP. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 1,700 HOMELESS PEOPLE WOULD DIE FROM THE PANDEMIC, AND SO FAR AT LEAST 206 HAD PASSED AWAY AS OF AUGUST 2020. CURRENTLY, THE UNITED STATES HAS TOPPED 9.28 MILLION VICTIMS OVERALL (WITH OVER 231,000 DEATHS) AS OF NOVEMBER 2ND. CALIFORNIA HAS OVER 939,000 CASES (WITH OVER 17,600 DEATHS), AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY HAS OVER 57,000 (WITH 891 DEATHS).

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ONLY 38% OF HOMELESS PEOPLE ABUSED ALCOHOL, 26% ABUSED OTHER DRUGS.

TWENTY TO TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT (20-25%) OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS SUFFER FROM SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS, WHILE FORTY-FIVE PERCENT (45%) HAVE A HISTORY OF MENTAL ILLNESS DIAGNOSES. 

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT LEAST 13,000 HOMELESS PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR. IN SAN DIEGO, OVER 100 DIE- IN 2018 ALONE, 134 DIED, WHETHER ON SIDEWALKS, SHELTERS, HOSPITALS, OR JAILS. THIS NUMBER IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER WHO DIED IN 2010 (WHEN ONLY 53 HOMELESS PEOPLE DIED).