As part of the City’s Community Action Plan on Homelessness, the Safe Parking Program has expanded to four lots.
The newest lot opened Wednesday and is located in Clairemont. This lot offers a safe place for people currently living in their cars and gives those experiencing homelessness a safe option to transition into stable housing.
Michael Johns and his family of three moved to San Diego for a job. But he said being laid off started the family’s spiral into homelessness.
“We take for granted the normal, basic necessities of life. But, when you don't have them anymore you start to realize how quickly you miss them,” Johns said.
Thanks to a donation from the state, the Johns family will soon move into one of the 12 camper trailers parked in the lot. The private trailers come equipped with beds, bathrooms and showers.
“It’s very hard to raise a 15-year-old in a vehicle,” Johns said. “So, we're grateful for the opportunity to be in a trailer, used as our home base, because it's a great transition to go from something like this back into housing.”
This is the fourth "safe" parking lot funded by the city of San Diego. It will operate 24-hours a day and in addition to the trailers will have 15 parking spaces.
"Our goal is to have a program available to meet the needs of every unhoused person our outreach workers encounter in communities in all corners of San Diego" San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. "This safe parking lot is a big step toward reaching that goal.”
Jewish Family Service operates all of the safe parking lots and connects families with services like housing navigation, employment assistance, credit repair, financial education and more.
CEO Michael Hopkins said this Safe Parking Program can help up to 233 households who are experiencing homelessness.
“The program has assisted more than 3,000 individuals since we began operation in January of 2018 and we look forward to continuing to work with the city,” Hopkins said.
He said more than one third of their clients transition to stable housing.
All of the camper trailers at the Clairemont lot are accounted for, but there is a waiting list.
People who want to take part in the program can contact Jewish Family Service for more information. Visit jfssd.org/safeparking or call (858) 637-3373.
