Criticism grows over proposed mega shelter after IBA report

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Community members and homeless advocates gathered at Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street Thursday morning, the proposed site for a mega shelter, to oppose the project.

“There’s no good case for putting a 1,000 homeless people into a shelter like this, ” said John Brady, a homeless advocate. “This is a disaster waiting to happen.”

“They have to stop, they have to figure out a way to start this project first with community input and second with details answer to very questions raised by the expect analysts,” said Paul Krueger, a District 9 resident.

The growing concerns over the shelter come after a report from the city’s Independent Budget Analyst showed criticism of the plan overall. The report said the project could cost the city up to $30 million a year to operate, going beyond the budget, and the report claims that without new funding, the city would need to cut existing programs or services to pay for this shelter.

In an interview in Gloria’s office Wednesday afternoon, the mayor said, “with all due respect to our independent budget analyst, he’s wrong” regarding the report’s finding that the building is more than market value.

Mayoral candidate Larry Turner slammed the proposal Thursday.

“So much of this has been done in the dark that we don’t get to see the discussions that are going on, all the negotiations and the price of this,” said Turner. “We can come up with something better than this, we just got to think and talk to people and don’t be in such a rush before November 5th.”

Opponents say homelessness is an issue that needs to be addressed but the proposed plan is not a solution.

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