The City of San Diego will open two new safe camping sites later this year. The safe sleeping sites will be on city-owned parking lots adjacent to Balboa Park and be able to accommodate roughly 500 people in just a few months.
The sites, located at Balboa Park’s 20th and B Street lot and Parking Lot O, will have individual tents provided by the city.
“I’m almost 64 years old, I don't want to die on the street. I don't want an ambulance to come and pick up my body,” said Jose De Jesus.
He’s a senior citizen living on the streets downtown, looking for a safe and sober environment to call home.
“I'd be open to the tent or even a building. Because it'd be safer and I'm pretty sure they’d have security or at least someone patrolling around,” De Jesus said. “I'm open to the idea — it's better than sleeping on the streets. And if they have shower facilities that's even better.”
People living on the streets sometimes decline offers to move into congregate shelters, but safe sleeping sites are seen as alternatives that people may be more willing to accept.
San Diego District 3 Councilmember Stephen Whitburn said these sites will allow for greater ability to enforce his proposed ordinance: to prohibit camping on sidewalks in San Diego if shelter beds are available.
“If we have a safer, healthier place for you — be it a safe sleeping site or a shelter bed or permanent supportive housing — then you need to take advantage of that,” Whitburn said. “And if you don't then there could be consequences for refusing to take the better options that are available.”
The safe sleeping sites will provide essentials like food, bathrooms, security and other services.
Serving Seniors CEO Paul Downey said he has some concerns about a lack of details for different homeless populations, including those with physical disabilities and mental health challenges.
“If we have adequate shelter beds that are age friendly, then I think we can have discussions about removing the encampments from the streets. The concern is that we're seeing increasing numbers of seniors literally every day,” Downey said.
Whitburn’s Unauthorized Camping Ordinance is expected to go before the full City Council in early June.
If approved, hundreds of people currently living on the streets may have to accept the safe camping sites as their temporary living accommodation.
