Good afternoon. My name is Anjleena Kour Sahni. I serve as the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties’ (ACLU-SDIC) advancing racial & economic justice policy advocate.
I’m here today to speak against this item and to urge the county not to pursue an unsafe camping ordinance.
All people deserve to feel safe and protected. The fundamental obligation of our San Diego County government is to protect the health, safety and well-being of every county resident, regardless of housing status. By passing an encampment ban, the county would further criminalize people experiencing homelessness – one of our most vulnerable populations.
An encampment ban would only serve to hide, not solve or even treat, the deeper issues driving the rise in rates of homelessness. Instead of a ban, we ask you to prioritize long-term solutions and invest in Housing First. The Housing First model rejects the criminalization of homelessness and prioritizes an actual solution – permanent supportive housing.
The ACLU-SDIC asks you to make the strategic, humane choice. We urge this board to treat people experiencing homelessness with the dignity and respect that we all deserve by implementing solutions that meet their needs. We ask you to vote “no” on drafting an unsafe camping ordinance.
