Bill Walton Seeks to Shine a Light on San Diego’s Homeless Crisis
Over the past month, Bill Walton, former ABC/ESPN/NBC basketball announcer, NBA All-Star basketball player, UCLA All-American, and a generous contributor to various causes and non-profits, has elected to make his voice heard on the homeless crisis in San Diego.
Walton, who has always expressed his pride for being a native San Diegan and living here his entire life, is now saying, “San Diego is no longer America’s finest, and it angers me.”
At the same time, he said he is not going to sit by and let it continue to happen.
What has prompted this reaction?
Walton, due to physical disabilities is disabled, however he is still an avid bicyclist who is often seen throughout the county of San Diego riding his bike. He rides from Hillcrest, near Balboa Park, through Mission Hills and north across Morena Boulevard to South Mission Beach and other coastal communities.
He has experienced and enjoyed San Diego without homeless encampments. Now he sees and experiences physical barriers that includes tents and aggressive homeless people who are prone to attack on a whim. This is something that Walton can’t and won’t tolerate.
He says that the problem starts at the top, meaning Mayor Todd Gloria.
Today he is prepared to be the voice/advocate who speaks out against Mayor Gloria’s handling of the homeless. His approach isn’t working and the damage to San Diego needs to be corrected, immediately.
He said that we need to take look at the complexities of this issue. It’s not only about housing; it’s about addressing the needs of the mental health of people on the streets. We need to accept the fact that there are different levels of the crisis, starting with those who prefer to live on the streets, because that’s what suits them.
It’s a dangerous reality that requires a realistic and comprehensive approach.
That’s why, out of frustration, Walton proposes to build a large coalition to deal with the homeless and wants us to work through the Lucky Duck Foundation to enlist and grow the list of concerned citizens and supporters. Walton believes we need to take an aggressive approach because of the seriousness of the situation.
Why the Lucky Duck Foundation?
It’s an organization that is privately funded, which means no government contributions. It is also an organization that includes board members and contributors who see that 94 cents of every dollar goes back to the community.
Drew Moser, executive director of the Lucky Duck Foundation, says that they have a new initiative, called Shamrocks & Shipwrecks that intends to hold regional elected leaders accountable on all issues related to homelessness. The ongoing initiative will publicly highlight political will and efficacy of elected leaders and their jurisdictions when addressing homelessness throughout San Diego County. The first shamrocks and shipwrecks will be announced December 8.
Moser stated, “The level of action must escalate meaningfully and with a sense of urgency.”
We have established this scoring system in order to publicly highlight tangible, positive action and to call out shortcomings of elected leaders for addressing homelessness throughout San Diego County. It is compiled and organized by the Lucky Duck Foundation, which meets weekly to follow facts, collaborate with and survive generations of politicians, and apply sound business principles to fund, activate and lead high-impact programs designed to immediately help those suffering from homelessness.
Additionally, the Lucky Duck Foundation will continue to partner and help accelerate the efforts of elected leaders by funding a variety of strategies, including but not limited to underwriting the cost to purchase and construct a bridge shelter for hundreds of individuals; underwriting the cost to purchase pallet homes; helping convert underutilized government-owned properties; and a multitude of other efforts such as food and water outreach, employment and job training opportunities, and more.
According to Moser, “Collectively, we can do a better job of addressing the homeless…and we must act now.”
And, as Walton offered, “Living on the streets is not in the best interests of any San Diegan. We need to change the course now.”
To voice your opinions and share your stories about the homeless crisis, please contact the Lucky Foundation at LuckyDuckFoundation.org. Also send the same to the following: – mayortoddgloria@sandiego.gov,
– stephenwhitburn@sandiego.gov
Category: Featured Articles, Government, Homeless, Housing, Local News, National News, Nonprofit, Seniors
