A public safety issue 

In April, I took my mother to French Hospital Medical Center. After filling out her intake forms, I was told by staff that a bed would be available for her within the hour. The emergency room was at full capacity. Making matters worse, patients were informed that Sierra Vista, the nearest hospital in town, was also at full capacity, but they wouldn't have beds available for several hours. While I waited in the ER waiting room, a young woman arrived, complaining of severe pain in her lower back, which she described as pain similar to giving birth without an epidural. Because no beds were available for an hour and staff were overwhelmed at triage, staff had her lie on her back on a towel in the waiting room as she cried in pain for hours.

Once Mom was moved to an available bed, we struggled to find a nurse or a doctor to speak to. A young doctor working the afternoon ER shift was hurriedly buzzing from room to room, with a nurse assistant trailing him. Both men were trying to catch their breath. I asked the nurse, "What's going on?" He told me of the perfect storm. Not enough doctors were available for patients to receive basic or preventative care. There was a doctor and nursing shortage at all nearby hospitals. Then, the nurse told me with whispered exasperation, "And many of us are unable to live here. Too expensive."

Recently, we've learned about the various exploits of San Luis Obispo doctor David Levin, whose medical license was suspended. In a lawsuit filed against him, one of his former employees alleged Levin did meth in the office and engaged in sexual misconduct. More patients stepped forward to say they had similar encounters with Levin, with one patient begrudgingly admitting they came back to him because he was one of the only ear, nose, and throat doctors available for an appointment. This is part of an ongoing problem with health care in SLO County. Because there are few care providers, it can take months or even years to see one. Clearly there is a scarcity of quality providers residing here.

Our housing shortage in SLO County has serious real-world consequences.

Many with valuable skills and resources for residents are unable to secure housing. These are hard-working people with families looking to substantially contribute to our community in ways that will help us remain sustainable for generations to come. But they're unable to get their foot in the door. Why is that? Housing supply is low, demand is high, and property owners are leveraging these circumstances by charging rent that's more than 35 percent higher than the national average. And residents currently living in San Luis Obispo County are grappling with unfavorable economic conditions: high inflation, a lethargic job market, and increased fees and taxes.

So when we see elected officials like 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding showcasing a hyper fixation on killing the Dana Reserve project, a comprehensive and affordable housing project in Nipomo, that should give us all serious pause. It wasn't enough for him to cast a vote against the project ("Unity must prevail," May 23). Since then, Paulding has made it abundantly clear in op-eds and newsletters that he is staunchly opposed to a critical opportunity for families and seniors to find a place they can call home—all to appease donors and special interest groups. We still remember a former county supervisor who demonstrated similar tendencies.

Elected officials like Paulding shouldn't prioritize job security over public safety. It shouldn't take an act of political courage to support long-term housing solutions that will sustain and likely even improve county resources for our aging population and future generations of homeowners. Perhaps SLO County needs leadership that better represents Paulding's own millennial generation than Paulding himself. Δ

Aaron Ochs writes from Morro Bay. Respond with an opinion piece of your own by emailing it to [email protected].