SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) — San Diego City Council is moving forward with its plan to turn the old H Barracks into a Safe Parking Lot for the homeless community as soon as May.
Crews have already knocked down the old barracks and repaved the lot.
It’s a plan that has caused a stir throughout the Point Loma community, with many saying it’s too close to the airport, homes and Liberty Station.
Most people are against it.
“We’ve got enough homeless wandering our streets,” said John, a Point Loma resident.
The plan sparked a community fight dating back to 2023.
John doesn’t feel like his voice has been heard.
“They walk across the bridge here, and they’re here at the houses. It’s not too, too far. It’s too close,” he said.
Community members have expressed concerns about safety, particularly in relation to the proximity to the airport, a children’s playground and Liberty Station.
The City entered into an agreement with Jewish Family Service to operate the new site and continue operating the existing ones. They say the former H Barracks site is supposed to nearly double the size of the program by adding 190 parking spots for people facing homelessness.
“The community opposition, I don’t think, is to the actual safe parking program. It’s the location that it’s located at. I’m assuming that it’s located at Liberty Station, and that’s just not true. It’s separated by boat channel a 20-minute walk, in terms of location,” said Kohta Zaiser, City of San Diego.
The city acknowledges the community’s pushback and has faced it with every new shelter site.
They say the safe parking program gives people, including seniors and families, a safe place to stay.
“They need a safe, stable and secure place to be able to go each evening, rest, wake up in the morning, go to work, and go to school. All of our Safe Parking programs and our city shelters across the board are programmed and activated. They have services on site, including housing navigation, mental health, and substitute counseling assistance with signing up for disability payments or social security, all the resources and services that somebody needs to get off the street and then they’re homeless,” Zaiser said.
The site won’t be open forever; the city is just using space as safe parking site until the pure water project opens in 2029.
In the meantime, the city’s one-year contract with Jewish Family Service has four one-year renewal options.
While these are the City of San Diego’s plans, a lawsuit by a real estate developer is currently moving through the courts and could potentially derail them.
The City tells FOX 5/KUSI in part, “An injunction could delay this and leave hundreds of people in vehicles on our streets and in parks — instead of safely parked with access to services.”
