Residents share ideas for Shores development

By Bianca Kaplanek

He added it is too early to tell if being part of project helps individuals secure rentals.

“As the system comes into its own, I expect numbers (of those permanently housed) to grow.”

There have been tremendous strides forward in cities, nonprofits and charity groups working together to solve regional homelessness.

“We’re better utilizing resources, right sizing assistance and bringing forward new types of assistance that weren’t available previously,” Anglea said.

“It’s absolutely a game changer, it involves organizations giving up control over their own resources. It involves working across organizational lines, across municipal lines in ways that have not occurred consistently throughout the years.”

As part of the group effort the cites of Oceanside and Carlsbad have earmarked a number of HUD Section 8 rental assistance vouchers to help house homeless.

Oceanside has also formed a police Homeless Outreach Team, in which two full time officers work as homeless advocates. Officers contact, assess, refer services and follow up on city homeless in the same way project navigators do.

Areas that need to be strengthened in the project’s regional efforts include recruiting additional volunteer project navigators to help with assessments and referrals, and securing more longrange mental health services.

With 100 days under their belt the group has decided to move forward with efforts without pause. Anglea said new resources are becoming available and the group wants to continue its momentum.

DEL MAR

— Shared use between people and pets, passive areas where children can play and benches to sit on and enjoy the ocean view were among the most requested amenities during a Plan Your Park workshop held to garner input on how best to develop the Shores property.

About 150 people were on hand for the May 2 event that took place on the 5.3-acre site on Ninth Street and Camino del Mar purchased for open space and recreational uses by the city from the Del Mar Union School District for $8.5 million in 2008.

The workshop is one of the final input-gathering events in the “discover” phase, which began in November, to learn what people like to do for recreation.

Ideas also came from interest group interviews, informational pop-up booths at community events and MindMixer, an information-gathering tool at engagedelmar.com.

A survey was also conducted. Results should be presented to City Council in June, according to the design consultants.

Use of the park became controversial in 2011, pitting dog owners, who allowed their pets to run off leash, against Little League participants and parents with young children, who cited health and safety issues.

Council members ultimately adopted a plan, still in place, that limits offleash dogs to certain hours on specific days.

Many dog owners said they would like to see that policy continued as is, or with extended hours.

“It’s a beautiful space that should be mixed use rather than having a segregated area for dogs to run because those don’t work,” resident Lynn Gaylord said. “They’re too small and the grass is retched because dogs tear. It’s used 24/7. The grass doesn’t get any rest.”

Former City Councilwoman Gay Hugo-Martinez said city officials need to

“plan a park that fits the demographics of Del Mar,” which she claims is increasingly the 55 and older group.

According to 2010 census data, about 21 percent of the 4,161 people who live in Del Mar are 65 or older, 44 percent are younger than 44 and 1,455, or 35 percent, are between the ages of 45 and 64.

Hugo-Martinez said council members also “need to look at what has worked in the past.”

“Open space with no fences for dogs worked wonderfully,” she said.

Hugo-Martinez, like most dog owners at the event, said people who bring their pets to the park respect the hours and pick up after their animals.

“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” Hugo-Martinez said. “That’s the real clear message.”

Another woman who lives close to Del Mar and uses the park described it as “a wonderful gathering place, and it’s not only about dogs and kids.”

“Friendships have been formed here,” said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous.

“They should preserve that community spirit. There aren’t enough kids west of the freeway to support Little League.”

Not everyone agreed with comments made by dog owners.

“We love dogs but we’d