San Diego officials and advocates for the homeless recently announced that the city is expanding its program of setting up parking lots safe for people living in their cars or RVs.
The new lot is the third in the program, and is located in Mission Valley, near the SDCCU Stadium. The lot is expected to be up and running within the next few weeks, and will have space for 200 regular trucks or cars, or as many as 80 RVs. In addition to space to park, the site will also provide support to the homeless in such efforts as housing assistance, financial education, and job training.
Kevin Faulconer, the mayor of San Diego, said that often when people first become homeless, they end up in their cars because they have no idea where else to go. The Safe Parking Program, as the program is called, gives them somewhere to live that is safe, while they take advantages of the services provided, look for work, and finally, find permanent housing.
A new proposed ordinance would make it unlawful for people living in their cars to park closer than 500 feet to a school, except for universities and colleges, or to a residence, during the hours of 6:00 pm until 6:00 am. The three safe parking lots would be available during those hours, and officials in situations like this could use poster printing to identify the special parking areas.
