San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said Thursday homelessness remains at the top of his administration's priority list. Last week, former basketball star and well-known San Diegan Bill Walton called for the mayor's resignation due to the state of homelessness in the city. But the mayor pushed back on Walton's allegations of inaction on the issue.
"I think our response is what we're doing every single day to transition people off the streets and into housing," Gloria said. "What you see in my administration less than two years is a 38% increase in the amount of shelter beds available in the city of San Diego."
San Diego saw an increase in federal and state grant funding during its last fiscal year, which ended June 30. Mayor Todd Gloria said grants totaling $229 million represent a nearly two-thirds jump from the total amount awarded in the previous fiscal year. The funding will support a variety of infrastructure projects in the city, as well as other city projects targeting areas such as clean air and water quality.
"We are the eighth largest city in this country, the second largest in California, and we deserve our fair share of state and federal resources," Gloria said.
