San Diego’s Authoritarian Council President Is Out of Control

By Terry Hoskins, Candidate for District 9

The recent memo titled “Tools to Address San Diego’s Shelter Crisis,” dated June 28, 2024, by Council President Sean Elo Rivera, reveals a dangerous attitude in city leadership where elected officials believe they know what is best for San Diego and appears to aggrandize his status on the San Diego political front.

The memo references four underutilized tools in San Diego’s shelter crisis, which, in his words, must be employed quickly.

First, there is the assessment of publicly owned properties.

Second, there is a request for proposals for Privately Owned Properties.

Third, there is eminent domain and friendly condemnation.

Finally, there is direct cash assistance. This is simply a grandstanding attempt; while some may be practical, it also carries the potential to disrupt the lives of San Diego residents and property owners and still does not provide realistic solutions.

Assessments of public-owned property occur all the time. It is common knowledge that the 100,000-plus acres of city property were not obtained or maintained for zoning for homeless solutions. The public expects assessments of public-owned property, such as Golden Hall, the old Central Library, the O parking lot, H Barracks, and the two homeless storage facilities.

San Diego’s most significant concern should be the continuum of care the city has planned for people experiencing homelessness. With any continuum of care strategy, the public should be informed, and lately, the lack of transparency and collaboration has not been a sign of confidence.

The existing direct cash assistance program, while it has been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic, if not longer, is a solution that is currently being conducted. However, the lack of transparency in these programs, mainly if funds were distributed to individuals without ties to our city, is a cause for concern. This view of having an unlimited fund is unrealistic, cannot be sustainable, and is not financially responsible to the people of San Diego.

The end state of this program is that it should be passed on to our collaborative partners, such as faith-based organizations, not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit organizations. However, this decision should be made with open communication and transparency, which is currently lacking.

The most alarming issue referenced in this latest memo is the potential use of eminent domain. This comment should alarm property owners, both commercial and residential. The Council President’s willingness to use eminent domain is not just questionable; it's a serious concern.

Eminent domain, or taking of private property, is traditionally used in roads and bridges, not homeless solutions. The use of eminent domain does not occur overnight, and time is required for this process to be successful. The justification for using an eminent domain must satisfy the Fifth Amendment. Additionally, when using eminent domain, payment for the private property is provided at the current market value of the property. This doesn’t take into account community involvement.

As suggested in this memo, the potential use of eminent domain exposes the mindset of our elected officials, who seem to believe they know better than the public and would not have any issue with taking property from owners. This approach to property ownership is reckless and disrespectful and should not be considered. Sadly, transparency has not been a common virtue among our current elected officials, especially since the Council President assumed the leadership role. Our elected officials are out of control, and this erratic behavior must stop, as America’s Finest City deserves better representation than it has been receiving.

Terry Hoskins is a resident of San Diego, a retired United States Marine Sergeant Major, a retired 15-year San Diego Police Officer, and is running for the San Diego City Council District 9 seat against Sean Elo Rivera.