San Diego County is re-opening a safe parking lot where homeless people can sleep in their vehicles at an overnight location that is more permanent than many other homelessness projects around the region.<\/p>\n
The newly renovated Magnolia site in unincorporated El Cajon now has 16 parking spaces, bathrooms, a walk-in shower, an industrial sink and a gated area for pets.<\/p>\n
At least four households were expected to check in Friday.<\/p>\n
The lot \u201cis an amazing success story,\u201d county Supervisor Joel Anderson said in a statement, \u201cwhere we are lifting people up in our community and changing their lives for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Safe parking has become a cornerstone of the region\u2019s homelessness response amid a shortage of traditional shelter beds and affordable homes.<\/p>\n
Many residents who lose housing still have their cars \u2014 which can be essential to keeping a job \u2014 and the lots are meant to serve as stopgaps until more permanent places are found. Twenty spots recently opened up<\/a> in San Diego\u2019s Grantville neighborhood, while the massive H Barracks site near the airport has room for nearly 200 vehicles and RVs. (Having those facilities\u00a0available can also make it easier for law enforcement to ticket homeless individuals<\/a> who decline offers for a place to stay.)<\/p>\n Both of the latter locations, however, come with expiration dates. The Grantville land is slated for an affordable housing complex and H Barracks will eventually be absorbed into San Diego\u2019s Pure Water recycling system.<\/p>\n At first, the Magnolia Safe Parking Site looked similarly temporary.<\/p>\n The property sits between State Route 67 and North Magnolia Avenue, across the street from a paint store\u00a0and just beyond El Cajon city limits. The land was once host to a large encampment, and for a time officials with the county and city of El Cajon debated about who should take responsibility for those sleeping in the area.<\/p>\n The county ended up creating parking spots in August 2022. Over the next two years, 177 people slept at the site, according to a county spokesperson. That total included 41 children and 48 adults who were at least 55 years old.<\/p>\n Almost a quarter of everyone served ended up in permanent housing, while around a third moved on to some form of transitional housing, which can include shelters.<\/p>\n But the toilets were portable and shade came mainly from party tents. Case managers had a hard time being heard over the roar of traffic, officials said.<\/p>\n The county closed the lot a year ago to overhaul the space. Now the asphalt is fresh and a wooden pergola covers concrete tables. The metal ramp leading to the bathrooms is wide enough for a wheelchair. Offices for case manager meetings have air conditioning.<\/p>\n Renovations were paid for with $3 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, the pandemic-era relief package passed by Congress. Locals leaders plan to continue using ARPA dollars to foot the lot\u2019s $740,000 annual operating cost, although an alternative source of funding must be found once federal aid runs out.<\/p>\n The budget includes money for so-called diversion payments, which generally cover one-time expenses like apartment deposits.<\/p>\n