SAN DIEGO – With the opening of the city’s fifth Safe Parking site, which includes space for oversized vehicles, the San Diego Police Department said it will increase parking enforcement in the coastal communities this summer, including addressing violations of the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance.
This emphasis comes after a month of outreach about the pending enforcement and, most importantly, the availability of spaces in the Safe Parking Program.
Of all areas across the city, SDPD receives the bulk of reports about people living out of their vehicles or campers at the beach communities, including around Mission Bay and Robb Field.
In late May, the City opened the H Barracks lot, which combined with the other four City-funded Safe Parking lots, nearly doubled the program’s capacity to just under 400 spaces, including room for oversized vehicles (RVs). With space available at H Barracks, police can enforce the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance in compliance with recent legal settlements.
The ordinance restricts overnight parking of large vehicles, including RVs, between the hours of 2 to 6 a.m. Supportive services, including referrals to the City’s Safe Parking Program, are offered at each SDPD contact.
Everyone has equal public access to beach and bay parking, but violations of laws against overnight parking will be addressed. The goal is to get individuals living in their vehicles into programs, like Safe Parking, where people can work to end their homelessness.
The beach areas are patrolled by SDPD’s Northern, Western and Neighborhood Policing Divisions, with officers taking enforcement actions as appropriate. In the Mission Bay area this year, hundreds of citations have been issued for violations of posted parking regulations, including restricted hours and parking lot closures, along with double-parked vehicles and out-of-marked stalls.
Reports of violations should be made through the city’s Get It Done app and will be directed to SDPD so officers can respond.
The Safe Parking Program provides people a secure place to stay while accessing services and pursuing permanent housing. In addition to a safe and legal place to stay, Safe Parking sites include restrooms, housing navigation, mental health services, and job training, and participants work with case managers to create individual housing goals.
The program serves a high percentage of individuals who are experiencing homelessness for the first time, many of whom have income through benefits or employment and need only modest assistance to get back on their feet.
