Homelessness Is Ruining San Diego, California 

Here's the entire California Road Trip: ru-vid.com/group/PLq-_cmf3H6yoGM0mmbTCTmMa9zMFvvDeG

Is this the USA ?? What kind of leaders have you voted for.? Unbelievable.

I work as a security guard in the downtown area and it's a complete nightmare. I work in a parking garage and the problem is out of control. I'm constantly kicking out the same homeless people over and over again and being screamed at for 16.85 an hour. I can't take it anymore. These people who want to be "compassionate" to them are the last ones who ever have to deal with them. I work 3 jobs. If I can do that, anyone can. There's no excuse to be homeless in this city. I used to have sympathy for the homeless. Then I started working with them.

I retired in California and a few weeks later my landlord said she was gonna double my rent. So I bought a home in Texas for $23,000. Cash. Best decision I ever made

Extremely bloated housing prices are “ruining San Diego.”

Been homeless before. Mental health treatment was my ticket to a better life. I will forever be on meds but as long as it helps me to have a full time job and a roof over my head then so be it. We need more mental health treatment centers.

Who leaves their wife and kid to go to another state to settle " some court stuff?" Then you don't have a way back home. That story is Swiss cheese .

So glad you came to San Diego, this HORROR needs to be EXPOSED

Grew up in SD, came down and visited recently and it looked so much worse than when I left the city. It felt tragic, like watching a friend do something self destructive, and there isn't anything you can do about it.

Something like 70% of all homeless are living unsheltered in Cali even though homeless shelters are available!

I’ve lived in San Diego for 25 years and it’s sad what has happened to this area, from the crime, the house prices, the homeless, the politicians, and the list goes on. San Diego is a dumpster fire.

I wound up spending 7 years plus in San Diego because my Navy ship transferred home ports from Pearl Harbor to there. I hated it! I kept moving further and further east towards Alpine. I finally moved back to America (Wisconsin). I've been here almost 30 years now. Now instead of all the druggies and freaks I just share my yard with the deer. I paid less for my house than one years rent in California and the quality of life is 1000 times better.

Before I retired from the BNSF Railway Telecom Department in Los Angeles and as part of our territory we had to service our San Diego Yard and our AEI site located where Fifth Avenue crosses the railroad tracks in the Gas Lamp District across East Harbor Drive from the convention center. Whenever I had to do maintenance on the AEI (Automatic Equipment Identification: It’s a form of RFID used to track rail cars and locomotives as they travel the system, it’s the same technology used to chip pets and also now people) site there were always homeless people prowling about the area. Fortunately the passing trains tended to keep them off the right of way but there always tended to be several tents up against the fence line protecting the tracks. The homeless also generally avoided the yard but when I would turn onto Kearny Avenue to head for the north bound 5 you’d always have to run the gauntlet of homeless begging for money. San Diego always seemed like a beautiful city but towards the end of my career the homeless were really dragging the place down. I no longer live in California.

I'm a truck driver broken down here in Albuquerque, NM. BOY CAN I TELL YA this city is scary! It seems like most of the people are zombied out on drugs. Dude I even saw a guy walking up the street with a machete! Please come explore this democrat hell hole.

I read the other day that California has 1/2 of the homeless in the US.

My grandfather lived in SD, moved there in the late '40s. We visited him during the summers. SD area was the most beautiful place I had ever seen. The weather, ocean, beaches towns were great. The people were friendly. No one locked their doors. What California's leaders have allowed to happen is criminal. CA taxpayers should revolt. Maybe it's too late.

Who would think this would happen to the U.S.A in 2024 😢

Great job on spotlighting San Diego’s homeless problem. It’s the leadership.

When I worked in downtown LA over 30 years ago, I saw a homeless guy climbing a tree to reach a couch wedged between the branches. The couch was about 20 feet up and pretty well hidden. I assume he was sleeping there because it was dark and there weren't too many other people walking around. I was impressed with his ingenuity.

I`m not a career Nurse, but a thirty five year bartender. And the woman in the pink tee-shirt has the mark of chronic alcoholism all over her body.

My daughter owned a home in National City, and 3 years ago, she was murdered by an unknown person on her way home from dinner. The cops don't care, no one does. The whole country is going down. Me first society. It is over.

I'm a San Diego Native, it started getting ugly around 2013 when cities across the country sent their mentality ill and homeless to our city via Grey Hound buses because of the California weather and welfare programs. At that time we would receive a new batch of homeless people every week and the numbers would add up over the years. It doesn't help that our city now has adapted Progressive policies

My brother lives in San Diego. It didn't used to be that bad but it seems like the homelessness increased very rapidly in the last few years

I moved to La Jolla around three years ago. Around mid 2020 I started seeing homeless in the area. Their presence has increased significantly since, and I hear them screaming in the sidewalks at all times of day. Housing is crazy, and I’ve been priced out of the area (so I’m getting TF outta this state next year) so I can empathize with some of them, but there are a lot of junkies and loonies that aren’t fit for a civilized society.

The fact is unless you're a doctor/lawyer that earns 200k+ per yr, you'd have to work at least 2 jobs just so you can pay for the mortgage down here in Cali. $2,500 to $3,000 for a 1-2 bedroom a month, what did you expect?

I was there in September, and couldn't believe it! I left San Diego in 1996. Very sad 😢

This used to be my old stomping grounds. Retired from the military back in ‘02, and lived there until 2015. Started seeing the deterioration even then. Really sad.😢

I lived in San Diego county my whole life, 58 years. My wife and I left 1 year, 3 months ago to Tennessee. We hear from our family and friends how much worse it is there. Shit, my son and daughter are still there. I don't regret leaving, not one bit!

Tanner and Angie’s stories don’t add up like most folks on the street. Tanner came out to deal with Court? Has a wife and kids in Kansas? Didn’t buy a round trip ticket? You’re not on drugs? Angie was a nurse, but during a global pandemic couldn’t get work? Oh please!

Miami FL doesn’t allow homeless tenting . They can be homeless, but no tents, they have to be in the move. As a result, one hardly ever sees a homeless person in the city

Like that famous line in the film Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come" many of those cities are growing the issue by simply providing services and shelter. It's becoming an open invitation to many other areas of the nation, who don't have the pleasant weather and handouts that California provides.

I recently moved away from SD after one year for non CA hating reasons. I loved north county. The city part of SD is gross, and the homeless are very annoying and aggressive. I did not see, however, any signs of the generous help and handouts the interviewee mentioned. The homeless often look like they’re starving, they’re filthy - obv nowhere to shower or wash clothes. I saw no food handout lines or porta potties. There were no signs of any services anywhere. They seem completely desperate. Really, I don’t think SD helps the homeless there at all. Most of the homeless came across as very, VERY, mentally ill. It’s unnerving, and I stayed away from the city as much as possible. I come from the east coast, and our cities do have food lines and places to wash etc. I’ve never seen people in such a wretched state as the homeless in CA. The homeless in SD are in a much rougher situation tbh.

It’s why I don’t ride the trolley and NEVER go downtown anymore. Todd Gloria is more worried about bike lanes and removing parking, than finding a solution to homelessness.

I live in a very small Beach Town on the Oregon Coast and 4 days ago I noticed a couple tents in an empty lot between a couple houses and mom and pop shops. Within the last 4 days, there are now approximately 20 tents and 2 tons of trash. FOUR DAYS! That’s all it took was 4 days to ruin a lot of land, property crimes have risen in that immediate area two fold in less than a week. It’s ridiculous!!

Shows the state of our mental health here in America.

Born and raised in La Jolla, joined the Navy in '87... returned home in 1996 to find the safety and vibe in San Diego were both going in the wrong direction, with certain areas effective no-go zones even for the locals. Got in many fights with the non-local punks who were ruining the beach areas. Most locals were oblivious to the changes because they were so gradual... but to a native who left for 10 years, it was a slap in the face... and that was 27 years ago.

Was just in SD this past weekend on the blue line rail. Homeless guy was yelling when we got in. Went up to my friend, slapped the soda out of his hand, and asked if he wanted to get stabbed. We were ready for him, but opted to deescalate. Gonna carry next time I’m there. Don’t care if it’s not legal.

Lived in San Diego/La Jolla since '95. It really has changed. Once a beautiful city is now infested with homeless, theft and open drug use. Take a walk along the boardwalk in PB and you'll see tent cities. Even in LJ we have homeless now. Very sad to see that Todd Gloria does NOTHING about the crime from the homeless. They can steal bikes and smoke their meth in public but I get no response on Get It Done or calling the police. So happy we finally made the move to ID last month. Never thought we'd leave LJ or CA.

When I moved to southern California you could be a busboy and afford to rent a studio apt in a safe part of town. Now you have to have two jobs and a roommate.

I’ve actually heard many people say that they’re not happy that people are flooding out of California because they don’t want their states “californiacated” I’m sure many people are leaving because of the crap their politicians pull.

I love how the lady says she was a "bleeding heart Liberal", but now sees the error of her ways. People get too comfortable doing nothing and getting handouts. BINGO!!!! That's what Conservatives have been saying for DECADES.

Plenty of bums at the hotel California any time of year you can find them here

Thank you Nick! Your videos are awesome.

Yep. Moved away 3.5 years and thus was one of the reasons. I didn't feel safe taking my young kiddo downtown like I had in the past. It got bad quickly.

Nick, thank you for showing truth. Cheers from Czech republic!

They released a lot of people from incarceration so that they wouldn't catch covid. Where did they think those people were going to go?

A city deserves what it is willing to tolerate! A country deserves what laws it lets court interpret!

I work near the San Diego old town. A homeless man in came into my job last week, he was pretty much naked and was holding a metal bar. I called the police twice while defending myself and pepper spraying him away from me. Guy Thankfully left after I sprayed him a second time and then was running around the neighborhood naked and screaming. Police came to "help" 5 hours later. I put in my notice yesterday, it's time to move.

I work in downtown right now and A majority of workers are now remote which leads to homeless overtaking areas that used to be heavily populated by business type people. It’s somewhat of a lawless wasteland now and I have to dodge feces and blatant open air drug use on the daily walking to and from my car. It’s a complete shitshow every single day now.

Wow. I lived there 8 years ago and it didn't look like this at all. Everyone was so happy and smiling and I literally don't remember seeing any homeless people

My husband and I were stationed here in the late '80's. It was beautiful, a lot to do. We had military housing and shopped in the commissary, kids went to school ,little side trips. We were blessed, very blessed.

I lived in San Diego from '13-'18 and you could definitely tell it was headed downhill when I left.

The last time I was in San Diego was 2013 and it was beautiful. It's so heartbreaking to see how it's gone downhill. Thanks for showing us how it is now.

About 25 years ago, government employee unions (including teachers unions) took control of politics in California. They pooled their union dues to buy off Democrat politicians, who rewarded them with generous salaries and pension benefits. That left little money to pay for other city expenses. In the meantime, Republican politicians in San Diego collected big contributions from developers. So, government stopped serving the people and instead served government employee unions and developers. Developers tore up older neighborhoods and put in expensive condos and high rises. The city made money with fees charged to developers. Developers were forced to contribute to a fund for affordable housing. But it wasn't enough to meet the need. The net result is a large homeless population, not enough housing for the middle and working class, poorly maintained infrastructure, and government employees who retire young, get generous pensions, and often double dip by getting another government job and pension after they "retire". San Diego switched to being a mostly Democrat city a few years ago. But it was both parties that screwed up the city.

If a lot of people are like me, then I guess the tourism industry there in California is going down the shitter as well. It's been over 20 years since I visited there, and I guess it will be my last ever.

I have a friend from San Diego. I live in Philadelphia. He said that Philly needs San Diego weather like San Diego needs Philly housing. He said that in the worst neighborhoods the houses go for 700K. In Philly, you still could buy a house for 90K (in a bad neighborhood)

Hi Nick great video documenting how BAD the homeless problem has gotten in SD! I am from Carlsbad, CA and sadly even the homeless problem has spread to this town also! I have lived in this area for almost 20 years, and I know for a fact ten years ago it WASNT this bad as you currently see! I used to love going down to SD to just walk around, go to padres games, you name it! Now I refuse to with how bad this homeless problem has gotten! Your video (very well done and narration wise I might add) proved it all! Again great video! I DESPISE how bad the homeless problem has gotten in CA! I don't understand why nothing is down about it!

You can't stay at a shelter if you're drunk, high, or have a dog. There ya have it. They'd rather be on the street.

Coming soon to a city near you.

I don't believe Angie is a registered nurse. She could get work easily. I live in Escondido and there is always demand for nurses, even private are needed. After seeing many interviews the homeless hear San Diego, LA are the places to go for free services, this comes from other homeless spreading the word. I have been homeless myself and I got work and stopped living in my car.

I was homeless here in Florida for over 8 years. I have a home now, but most of my friends are still out on the streets. It's getting worse everyday out there. This looks scary compared to St Petersburg Florida though! I would not want to be stuck like that. I feel bad for them, and everyone else that has to deal with this! It's horrible!

Vsited San Diego back in 2019 and saw only a few homeless in the Gaslamp District where I was staying at. Had a great time and planned to return back next year in 2023 but after watching this video I'll never step foot back into California ever again!! Thanks Nick!!

As for the “nurse” I do believe her problem is drug abuse. She more than likely lost her job because of it and her family has had enough.

I agree with her. Don t make them comfortable. Give them the bare minimum n nothing special. Give them crappy food to eat. Used clothes. Stop enabling them. Most really want to be out there. They want to be free. Make living on the street unpleasant .

Grew up in SD and lived there 28 years. I'm definitely not moving back. Sad to see what it's becoming.

I lived in So Cal most of my life (a Marine brat) with 90% in San Diego, it just kept getting worse and worse, I moved to Idaho in May of 22 and have been so happy. Not perfect weather, but fantastic experiences make up for it. Plus, I would have never been able to retire in San Diego. Thanks Nick!

I think Tanner lied to you and is actually hooked on opiates and is stuck there because of addiction. I have been off opiates for 10 years and can see it clearly. The excuses are endless huh? You might want to consult the business owner you met with to get her the hell out of there😬💖 Thanks for your videos always!!! Stay safe ❤

As a registered independent I've always felt that there needs to be a balance between conservatives and liberals in city government in order to find "happy median" even though it's supposed to be non-partisan. After hearing that the entire city council is now all democrat, well... in a way San Diegans have no one to blame but themselves.

Could Tanner sell that neckchain for a bus ticket back to Kansas? Just wondering...

they're not homeless, they're just urban outdoorsmen...

I'll buy tanner a greyhound ticket but its gonna be nonrefundable, I need to see him get on the bus and every three hours I need his location because there's something strange about his situation that I'm not really buying

I live in San Diego, its not the finest city anymore, keep the same people in power who created this mess! It’s becoming a great place to visit, but not to live. High prices, traffic congestion., crime, I live in Mira Mesa, do not go downtown much anymore.

I cannot believe so many people are out of touch with the reality of the homeless issue in USA… hope people can really open their eyes to see for themselves. Don’t turn a blind eye, because sooner your standard of living will be affected or it is too late to fix. Love these videos! These could wake someone 🆙! Keep up the good work!

Other Parts of San Diego county are suffering from the homeless epidemic, also. Particularly Spring Valley, El Cajon and surrounding areas.

I was a San Diego outreach coordinator for the homeless in 1999 to 2006. So many sad stories. Homelessness can happen to anyone, leave California as soon as you can.

Omgosh I'm from LA, I now live in Victorville, I used to vacation in San Diego as a kid, unbelievable 🥺😥

40% of homeless are working now. "in fact, a 2021 study from the University of Chicago estimates that 53% of people living in homeless shelters and 40% of unsheltered people were employed, either full or part-time, in the year that people were observed homeless between 2011 - 2018.Sep 2, 2022." Interesting enough another one "only 40% of Americans are in a position to cover a surprise $400 expense, according to a recent ResumeLab survey. And if you don't have $400 at your disposal, you may want to build up your savings.Aug 2, 2022." It is hard to pull yourself up by bootstraps if you don't have ANY. This is all EVIDENCE of a society in DESPAIR. We have become so separated and narrow in our connection to others we tend to disdain or even hate and blame those who are traumatized by life and suffering instead of responding humanely. I have been listening to an economics professor on here at Democracy at Work and he explains all of it. Societal Despair is from traumatizations from abuse and poverty. Gabor Mate says every addict is traumatized and the continual traumatization only reinforces their dilemma. Talk about how living like that can cause spiritual and mental genocide. There are many forms of genocide and you are looking at some of it. And we keep giving our money to the leaders and they give it away to others. Recently the white house is giving 900 million for health care in Ukraine. But they can't afford it for us. But we are the ones paying for it all. They don't even ASK us if that is okay. Nope. Just demand more of our money and blame the poor and live high on the hog more and more as they reap millions upon millions even billions. Many elderly and disabled are denied medicaid and medicine here. My elderly neighbor in his 80's wife died of the vid. The hospital came and the worker had their trailer condemned. Now he is homeless too. In his 80's! No help for him. No family left. They just said GET OUT. We need to do better for our communities. And first by demanding more accountability from those in charge and doing this crap. How do they sleep at night? Pretty well in their cozy homes I am sure. sigh.

Considering how insane the rents are in SD, and the lack of interest in creating affordable housing, that's exactly what I would expect if I visited now.

I moved to San Diego in 1987 and left in 2002. Loved living there! There was always a homeless problem downtown but NOTHING like this! How sad such a beautiful place turned into this. Something has to be done.

I just can't believe what is happening to a city like San Diego. It is a military town IE Coast Guard, Navy, Marines. Millions of tourists from 50 states and many foreign countries come here and have to see this eyesore.

I have learned from living in Austin Texas for five years that Democrat mayors are the worst and don’t want to do anything about the homeless situation. They believe it’s not that big of an issue. Well, the people in Austin spoke and got it on the ballot to vote against encampments and it passed. It is now a misdemeanor to set up homeless encampments and the police had to go around and tell the homeless that they need to pack up what they could because dump trucks were coming around to pick up what was left over to take to the dump. The homeless were put into hotels that were bought by the city to help them transition. Then the city Council decided a few months ago they didn’t want the cops going out and telling the homeless that they had to leave and now our homeless situation is starting to get bad again. Once in a while you will come across an encampment that has been taken down. From talking to the homeless here most of them don’t want to work and don’t want to pay taxes. The others are alcoholics, drug users, and mentally ill. Also, there’s a law suit against the city of Austin for not enforcing the no camping ban. It’s sad to see San Diego like this.

Wow thanks for this. This really hit home. Literally. I spent 8 months homeless in San Diego. 8 years ago it was just that quiet chill with a few areas I steered cleat of. Today after getting a full time job and housing the East Village has truly become a cesspool. I wanted to live out my remaining retirement years here but NOW. I just want out. But no way can I afford to. I understand the homeless problem. Lived it, breathed it. Smelled and stepped in it. Whatever laws they had back then they need to reinstate cause it's completely out of control. And it's pretty damn obvious the planning commissions don't give a damn as they build countless downtown high rises. Literally you can see one going up at least every 6 blocks or less. So ya this the path were on. San Diego has L.A. dreams and we as citizens are collateral damage. Again thanks for shining a light on this ever emerging growing stain

Part of the problem was that people could not be evicted during the pandemic for not paying rent. Now they have been evicted and rents have gone sky high because the owners are trying to recoup some of their losses. As well as people not going back to work.

I was there during the pandemic and I was shocked by how much the homelessness increased, since my last visit in 2015. SD is simply not safe, because some may lash out at you. They were literally hanging outside the hotel and restaurants. Some were using, some were totally out of their minds, some were aggressive. This is what happens when you produce nothing and handed things freely. Such a beautiful place and such devastation. 🤯

I went to school in south San Diego with a very heavily concentrated homeless population. I agree it’s sad to see all the homelessness, but also scary. I remember walking home or to friends houses and there would be homeless people sleeping as we walk past them, or them walking in front or behind us. Sad to see my home town get worse rather than better. One of the few reasons why I don’t feel like staying after college anymore.

I spent most of my life in San Diego (navy) and it was NOT like this when I left, this is unbelievable. I spent all my free time downtown here on this video. This is unreal.

What happens in San Diego needs to stay in San Diego. Just remember this is what the people of San Diego & CA VOTED FOR.

My daughter is starting her first CA RN job at a north county hospital in a couple weeks, she worked out of state as an RN throughout the pandemic. Her beginning salary is around 105K, almost triple what she was paid in the other state. That's definitely enough to live here in SD. There's more to the nurse's story, beginning with that drug habit. It's just sad, all that opportunity gone to waste.

I lived in San Diego a few years ago and I thought it was remarkable. Clean, safe, overflowing with things to do and places to go. I moved back to the Bay Area because San Diego was too expensive to live and the jobs didn’t pay well just like you stated. I am so very sad to see my favorite places, cities that used to be amazing turn into shit.

This makes me so sad. San Diego was where I started my career as a bio scientist. It was my favourite southern California city when I was a little girl. This is absolutely disgusting. Get these people off the street now!!!!

I'm from the Bay Area and live in San Diego and have for years. San Diego is absolutely following in San Francisco's and Oakland's foot steps. East Village is equivilent to The Tenderloin; trash, urine, needles and feces. And yes, it is not just downtown. I live in Mission Valley and they camp all along the river. Near the Mission, they have to call out California Fish and Wildlife to clear them out at times because a lot of that land is state property then the police send them on their way where they just camp again. The homeless are a bane to businesses in Mission Valley due to theft.

You know when something gets done when 5,000 San Diego residents go in front of the mayor's office and refuse to leave or let him out until he does something about it

Even though people give bad rep for California leaders. The reason California has huge homeless problem is because it has most livable climate throughout the year. Everyother state gets too cold or too hot to live outside without a shelter

Hi Nick! Thanks for reminding me to be proud of myself for leaving SD after living most of my life there. Sold my condo which still had a mortgage on it - paid it off and bought a beautiful house in Texas with the cash leftover. Yes, it's much different here, but the thing I miss most is the wonderful mexican food.

Whenever a politician says their first priority is X.. I expect it to get a lot more worse lmao.

Both parent were born in San Diego. I still live there at the beach. Mayor Gloria spends more time getting his mug on the news than solving homeless problem. The homeless are setting up tents on the sidewalk. Should have to remove them every morning or confiscate them. tents in canyon or hillside is on private property. Should be given 15 minutes to move or arrest. RV are not allowed on the street or city parking lots beteen 3-5 am, Did not help that 5000 hotel room for cheap monthly rent were converted to expensive boutique hotel rooms downtown since 1980.

Stay away from drugs. Stay away from bad company. Period

WOW. It has not been that long since I was in S.D. and NONE of this was there. WOW. That's shocking to me even as someone who watched that enormous homeless encampment spring up along the Santa Ana River bed by Anaheim Stadium a while back. What an absolute tragedy. San Diego was always such a nice place to visit.

San Francisco downtown is so scary now, is full of homeless all races, some even look like zombies

I just moved away from SD after living there for 15 years (and I went to community college at City College, a couple blocks away from where this guy filmed most of the shots of homeless tents.) A big part of this is due to the high-rise buildings that they built (which you can see in the background,) they moved the homeless out of the area and further toward Logan. Cost of living is another huge one, obviously. I spent several holidays giving out care packages, meals, etc to the homeless, it's very sad.