SUPERVISOR ANDERSON LAUNCHES COUNTY’S FIRST SAFE PARKING AREA FOR HOMELESS

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

By Shiloh Ireland

August 10, 2022 (El Cajon) – County officials today launched the county’s first “safe parking” lot at the site of a former homeless encampment as 1297 North Magnolia Avenue in unincorporated El Cajon.

Supervisor Joel Anderson was the featured speaker along with several other county leaders including Nick Macchione with the County of San Diego-Health and Human Service Agency, Barbara Jimenez, County Office of San Diego-Office of Homeless Solutions & Equitable Communities (HSEC) and Dr. Teresa Smith, Dreams for Change's Chief Executive Officer.

The 17 parking spaces will open tomorrow, August 11, 2022. Supervisor Anderson emphasized that many of  those who will be using the service are first-time homeless individuals who have been living in their cars. The site will be supervised by contracted, unarmed security personnel 24 hours a day.

 

The facility, approved by the Board of Supervisors, will only accept operable vehicles, but no RVs or tents and will be allowed overnight, safe parking. County services will be offered to those wishing to transition to permanent placement.

When asked how long individuals may stay, staff advised that the site will accommodate families as well as individuals as long as needed. The site opens nightly at 5:30 pm and must empty by the following morning by 7:00 am. However, the site will not accept first come, first serve. The Safe Parking lot is by referral only from the county HSEC outreach team and facilitated by Dreams for Change.

Homeless individuals at the site and nearby will continue to have face-to-face engagement by HSEC offering services. 

After the event, the San Diego Housing Federation tweeted, “Kudos to San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson for establishing a safe parking lot outside of El Cajon, to be operated by Dreams for Change. This will get people who live in cars off the street and into a safer environment.”


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.