San Diego, CA
Talking current state of homelessness in San Diego following State of the City
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The issue and topic of homelessness and how to address it have been going on for years. It’s also been a talking point of Mayor Todd Gloria’s State of the City for years as well.
“This issue is urgent. It is complex, and it demands action. “And the results of our efforts are becoming clearer,” Gloria said on Thursday. “You can see it, and the data confirms it. Together we are expanding shelter, strengthening outreach, creating real pathways off the streets, and we’ve done it by insisting on a simple truth: a sidewalk is not a home.”
While some have gotten off the streets, many have set up their encampments along the highways of Downtown San Diego.
Gloria highlighted the pilot partnership that started last July with the State and City to clear homeless encampments off the highway.
“Since then, we’ve been able to remove over 320 encampments, which has resulted in over 200 tons of waste removed, and then with that, though we do offer services before, during, and even after if they want them,” Franklin Coopersmith of the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department said. “Of which, we’ve gotten 95 people into a city shelter or service option, and of those, we’ve actually gotten 8 people into a permanent housing option.”
Gloria said he’d like to expand the program moving forward.
“I want to do more because this agreement with CalTrans has proven so successful. I am urging state leaders to expand it and allow city crews to cover more areas next to freeways where we know tent encampments exist,” Gloria said
ABC 10News spoke with some local non-profits about how they view the homelessness crisis at the moment.
“I think there’s a lot of activity. I think there’s a desire on the City’s behalf to make progress around homelessness,” Drew Moser, Executive Director of Lucky Duck Foundation, said.
“That the crisis still remains, right? The fact remains that we have many unsheltered individuals on any given night on the streets,” Deacon Jim Vargas, President & CEO of Father Joe’s Villages, said.
Some had some questions about the progress.
“I think the mayor said that they had increased shelter capacity. Our question would be, where did that happen?”
The City’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department told ABC 10News it added two shelters in 2025 – one that has 43 beds (Safe Shelter for Transition-Age Youth (Safe STAY)) and another with 50 beds at the moment but can be increased to a capacity of 210 (Rachel’s Promise Shelter).
It also opened the H Barracks Safe Parking lot, and the Safe Sleeping site O Lot expansion of 235 more tents in late 2024 bled into early 2025.
“Those are, I mean, individual tents without heating or air conditioning or some of the many other benefits that exist at a bridge shelter or transitional housing,” Moser said.
“We also recognize that there are more seniors who are falling onto the streets, more behavioral health issues that we’re seeing on the mental health side and the detox side,” Vargas said.
Gloria did acknowledge the need for mental health and detox resources in his State of the City.
“We need more treatment capacity, more psychiatric care beds, more detox, and long-term recovery options. We need faster pathways from the street and into care,” Gloria said.
San Diego, CA
UNLV faces San Diego State after Hamilton’s 24-point performance
UNLV Rebels (16-14, 11-8 MWC) at San Diego State Aztecs (19-10, 13-6 MWC)
San Diego; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: UNLV faces San Diego State after Kimani Hamilton scored 24 points in UNLV’s 92-65 victory over the Utah State Aggies.
The Aztecs have gone 13-2 in home games. San Diego State is eighth in the MWC with 9.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Miles Heide averaging 2.0.
The Rebels have gone 11-8 against MWC opponents. UNLV ranks eighth in the MWC shooting 34.4% from 3-point range.
San Diego State averages 79.1 points per game, 0.6 more points than the 78.5 UNLV gives up. UNLV averages 7.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game San Diego State allows.
The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. San Diego State won the last meeting 82-71 on Jan. 24. Miles Byrd scored 23 points points to help lead the Aztecs to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Reese Dixon-Waters is shooting 35.9% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Aztecs, while averaging 13 points. Byrd is averaging 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is shooting 50.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Rebels. Hamilton is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Aztecs: 5-5, averaging 74.9 points, 28.9 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.0 points per game.
Rebels: 6-4, averaging 84.1 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Diego, CA
Military bases in San Diego County increase security following Iran attacks
SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Military bases in San Diego County and nationwide have increased security measures due to last weekend’s U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, prompting traffic delays near base entrances, enhanced ID checks and access restrictions.
The Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado ports three aircraft carriers, including the San Diego-based USS Abraham Lincoln, which led some of the first-wave attacks on Saturday.
Naval Base Coronado warned motorists of possible traffic delays at all base entry points due to the increased security measures.
Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.
The U.S. operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” and Israeli operation, “Raging Lion,” began striking targets at 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time Saturday.
As of Tuesday, at least six U.S. service members had been killed in action.
The strikes also killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who had been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, making him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East.
Iran’s offensive forces claimed to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles, but according to an X post from U.S central Command, “The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”
Those with concerns regarding the heightened security can contact San Diego County’s Office of Emergency Services at 858-565-3490 or oes@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
San Diego, CA
SD Unified moves forward with layoffs of classified employees
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Less than 3 weeks after the San Diego Unified School District finalized a new contract with teachers, the school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with layoff notices for other district employees.
The layoffs affect classified employees — workers who are employed by the district but are not teachers and are not certified. That includes bus drivers, custodians, special education and teacher aides, and cafeteria workers.
The district says it is eliminating 221 positions — 133 that are currently filled and 88 that are vacant — to save $19 million and help address a projected $47 million deficit for the next fiscal year.
Preliminary layoff notices will go out on March 15, with final notices by May 15.
The district estimates about 200 classified employees will receive preliminary notices, but of them, about 70 are expected to lose their jobs based on union-negotiated bumping rules.
Bumping allows employees with more seniority to move into another position in the same classification, thereby “bumping” a less senior employee out of that role.
Lupe Murray, an early childhood special education parafacilitator with the district, said the news came as a shock after the teacher strike was called off.
“When the strike was called off, I’m like, ‘Yes!’ So then when I got the email from the Superintendent, I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ So, I think everyone was shocked,” Murray said.
The district says it sends out annual layoff notices, as all districts in the state do.
Before Tuesday’s board meeting, classified employees rallied outside, made up of CSEA (California School Employees Association) Chapters OTBS 788, Paraeducators 759, and OSS 724. They were joined by parents, students, and the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Miguel Arellano, a paraeducator independence facilitator with San Diego Unified and a representative of San Diego Paraeducators Cahpter 759.
“What do we want? No layoffs! When do we want it? Now!” the crowd chanted.
Arellano said he felt compelled to act when he learned about the potential layoffs.
“The first thing that went through my mind was that I need to speak up. I need to protect these people,” Arellano said.
Inside the meeting, the board heard emotional, at times tearful testimony from classified employees before voting unanimously to move forward with the layoff schedule.
Superintendent Fabi Bagula said the district has tried to protect classrooms from the cuts.
“We have tried our best to only, I mean, to not touch the school. Or the classroom. But now it’s at the point where it’s getting a little bit harder,” Bagula said. “What I’m still hoping, or what I’m still working toward, because we’re still in negotiations, is that we’re able to actually come to a win-win, where there’s positions and availability and maybe even promotions for folks that are impacted.”
Arellano warned the layoffs could have a direct impact on students.
“We are already spread thin, so, with more of a case load, it’s going to be impossible to be able to service all the students that we need to have,” Arellano said.
Follow ABC 10News Anchor Max Goldwasser on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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