Affordable housing could be the answer to San Diego's problem with recruiting and retaining police officers.
At least two city council members think so and are currently putting together an incentive package to help lure recruits.
In San Diego's current housing market one of the greatest difficulties is coming up with a down payment.
This incentive package would offer a leg up to San Diego law enforcement, providing as much as half the down payment or closing costs.
But it comes with some strings attached.
Most San Diego Police Department (SDPD) officers put their life on the line night after night for a city in which they don't even live.
"We're here to help those who need it most and try to address the fact that only 30 percent of our officers live in the city of San Diego,” District 6 Councilman Chris Cate said.
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Councilman Cate and President ProTem Barbara Bry are teaming up to create an affordable housing incentive.
While still on the drawing board, the current plan would allow each police officer to receive up to $50,000 toward the cost of buying a moderately priced home within city limits.
"We looked at programs in San Francisco, other programs on the east coast as well similar to this, talking to banks who have experience." Cate said.
As long as they remain police officers and in the home the incentive money would not have to be paid back.
Over the phone, former President of the San Diego's Police Officer's Association Brian Marvel called it a "Great Idea. The POA (Police Officers Association) pitched it for many years," Marvel said.
City statistics indicate the department has lost 253 police officers since last summer.
Councilwoman Bry said private contributions of $5 million would close that gap in two years.
"The cost of housing in San Diego has always been a deterrent to potential recruits."
I always felt it was beneficial to have officers living in the same city they work." Marvel said.
Councilman Cate says the incentive can't be one size fits all, and that it is all-inclusive.
"Each individual officer is going to have a different need and that is where we want to make sure a number of different elements are available as options,” Cate said.
The City Council already passed a pay and benefits incentive package to recruit and retain officers. Councilman Cate said this program would initially costtaxpayers around $500k to start up, but Councilwoman Bry hopes to do it all with contributions from local banks and businesses.
Both council members already met with some local banks and the police officers’ union. The next step is to finalize the plan and get financial commitments from contributors.
