Housing & Homelessness in Carlsbad & Oceanside

Anyone paying attention has probably noticed the explosion of homelessness along the North County corridor.

Carlsbad and Oceanside have been caught for years between sky-high housing demand and a local economy where wages simply haven’t kept pace. Young families, teachers, nurses, and service workers commute brutal distances because they can’t afford local rent. And the most vulnerable — seniors, veterans, and people struggling with mental-health or addiction challenges — are pushed into tents, cars, and freeway-side encampments.

This is not a nuisance one can merely sweep away, but a moral and structural failure demanding bold and prompt action. Expanding affordable housing is a MUST and needs more than just the lip service so many politicians give it. This means streamlining approvals for smart infill development, protecting renters, and ensuring that people experiencing homelessness receive mental-health care, addiction services, and real pathways out of crisis.

It means clearly stating that housing is a human right in North County; not a privilege for the lucky few.

It also means standing up to the region’s powerful NIMBY resistance — the same voices who insist we should “do something about homelessness” but oppose every new project that actually does something.

Carlsbad and Oceanside are at a crossroads, and it’s time we all understand that solving the housing crisis isn’t just policy — it’s the foundation for a fairer, safer, more compassionate community.

Because the crisis in housing affordability isn’t abstract. It’s visible. It’s personal. And it’s shaping the political future of our coastal communities.

See you at the ballot box!

Rob