Heavy Rain Forces Hundreds to Flee San Diego Homeless Shelter Amid Ongoing Storm
A month's worth of rain in a single storm has left hundreds of people at risk, with the Bridge homeless shelter in downtown San Diego being evacuated for the third time in seven years. The massive gray tent was overwhelmed by waist-deep water, prompting officials to move its residents to a local gym.
The storm broke local records and forced multiple water rescues, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Southern California has been hit with heavy storms in recent weeks, leading Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. The rainfall is expected to continue through the weekend.
Climate change experts warn that such extreme weather events will only increase due to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. As a result, people experiencing homelessness are often those most vulnerable to disasters like wildfires, floods, and heatwaves.
The Bridge shelter's CEO, Bob McElroy, described the situation as "not a great start to the new year." This is not the first time the shelter has been affected by extreme weather; hundreds also had to evacuate in 2018 and 2024. Steve Berg of the National Alliance to End Homelessness noted that disasters like these often reduce the housing supply, making it harder for people who lose their homes to find affordable alternatives.
In 2024, natural disasters displaced over 11 million people in the United States, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, in 2023 led to an 83% increase in homelessness, highlighting the devastating impact of these events on communities.
For Michael Coats, 68, who was forced to flee the shelter with his wife due to the storm, finding hope is a daily struggle. Despite being homeless and facing uncertainty about their future, he credits his faith for giving him inspiration to persevere. As he said, "I call him God... It gives me my inspiration to keep trudging through this."
A month's worth of rain in a single storm has left hundreds of people at risk, with the Bridge homeless shelter in downtown San Diego being evacuated for the third time in seven years. The massive gray tent was overwhelmed by waist-deep water, prompting officials to move its residents to a local gym.
The storm broke local records and forced multiple water rescues, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Southern California has been hit with heavy storms in recent weeks, leading Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. The rainfall is expected to continue through the weekend.
Climate change experts warn that such extreme weather events will only increase due to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. As a result, people experiencing homelessness are often those most vulnerable to disasters like wildfires, floods, and heatwaves.
The Bridge shelter's CEO, Bob McElroy, described the situation as "not a great start to the new year." This is not the first time the shelter has been affected by extreme weather; hundreds also had to evacuate in 2018 and 2024. Steve Berg of the National Alliance to End Homelessness noted that disasters like these often reduce the housing supply, making it harder for people who lose their homes to find affordable alternatives.
In 2024, natural disasters displaced over 11 million people in the United States, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, in 2023 led to an 83% increase in homelessness, highlighting the devastating impact of these events on communities.
For Michael Coats, 68, who was forced to flee the shelter with his wife due to the storm, finding hope is a daily struggle. Despite being homeless and facing uncertainty about their future, he credits his faith for giving him inspiration to persevere. As he said, "I call him God... It gives me my inspiration to keep trudging through this."
i mean climate change is real & we need 2 take action 4m now. its so unfair that ppl who r already struggling w homelessness r gettin hit w these extreme weather events 1st & foremost we need 2 help those ppl get stable housing & not just temporary fixes 
. and yeah lets not 4get the stats - 11 million ppl in us r displaced every year bcs of natural disasters 
. can't we jus do better?
it's heartbreaking seeing ppl forced 2 evacuate a shelter during a storm. u think climate change is just some fancy word 4 'global warming', but it's really ppl like Michael Coats & his wife who r the ones sufferin 
. we need 2 talk about how disasters are increasin due 2 rising temps & changing patterns, & how it's affectin those who r alrdy strugglin 2 survive 
. shelters r supposed 2 be safe havens, not places ppl have 2 flee from 
. govts & orgs need 2 step up & provide better support 4 ppl experiencing homelessness 
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"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt 
This is just heartbreaking! I mean, can you believe hundreds of people are living on the streets in San Diego and still we're talking about climate change like it's some kinda future problem 
.
my heart goes out to all those people affected by this storm in San Diego 
it's just heartbreaking to see homeless folks having to deal with the worst of it 
and I think we need to talk about how our climate is changing and why it's happening 
rising temps and altered precipitation patterns are going to make things like this more frequent and intense 
it's not just a matter of "oh, they should've packed an umbrella" 
it's about the underlying issue here 
️ The unfortunate plight of those experiencing homelessness in the face of climate-induced extreme weather events is a stark reminder of the intricate relationships between environmental degradation and societal vulnerability. Rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns are indeed exacerbating these disasters, which disproportionately affect already marginalized populations 
. The fact that The Bridge shelter has been evacuated multiple times since 2018 highlights the need for sustainable and resilient housing solutions. Furthermore, the correlation between natural disasters and homelessness statistics is alarmingly high, underscoring the imperative for comprehensive policies addressing both environmental sustainability and social welfare 
. Rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, as posited by climate change experts, will undoubtedly exacerbate such events, rendering shelters increasingly ill-equipped to mitigate their impact 
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. And omg those stats on climate change are wild 
️, I'm not surprised the Bridge shelter is getting hit so hard... it's like they're being swept away by the storm of life (sorry I know that sounds cheesy 
). Seriously though, we need to do better for our most vulnerable citizens 
.
the bridge shelter situation in san diego is a perfect example of how climate change is affecting vulnerable populations like people experiencing homelessness. it's not just about the physical safety they're facing with flooding, but also the emotional toll of being displaced and uncertain about their future. i think it's really important to acknowledge that disasters like these are often linked to systemic issues like lack of affordable housing and inadequate social services.
and what's sad is climate change doin its thang again 
can we just slow down the clock pls?
. People like Michael Coats, who's still finding a way to inspire himself despite everything he's going through... that's the kind of hope I want to share! 
.
like, what's next? 
anyway, this just shows how messed up our climate is 
and it's hitting the most vulnerable people hard 
homeless shelters are meant to be safe spaces but now they're basically temporary flood zones 
like, what can we do? 
maybe invest in some sea walls or something 
or just have a giant umbrella for everyone 
The numbers are staggering - 11 million displaced in the US alone... it's time for some real change.