San Diego, CA

State agency OKs homeless parking lot by the San Diego airport

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

State agency OKs homeless parking lot by the San Diego airport

A state agency has approved a plan to create nearly 200 spots for homeless people to sleep in their cars near the San Diego airport, largely clearing the way for the lot to open early next year.

The California Coastal Commission’s unanimous vote Wednesday evening will allow safe parking at the H Barracks site and lets the city later install two large tents that could hold hundreds more people, although local officials have said the latter proposal remains unlikely.

Opponents previously threatened to sue.

“We need to really do everything we can to help address homelessness,” Commissioner Justin Cummings said from the dais. “These safe parking sites have proven to be really good at getting people into services.”

The crisis has grown countywide every month for more than two straight years and well over 10,000 homeless people were again found during the region’s annual point-in-time count in January. The 190 parking spots are a key part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s efforts to boost the region’s strained shelter system, although many neighbors have raised a host of concerns, from the lot’s proximity to Liberty Station’s shops and schools to potential toxins from a nearby landfill.

Six people spoke Wednesday in opposition.

Derek Falconer, head of the nonprofit Point Loma CARES, said a commission report that already noted problematic noise from departing planes didn’t necessarily account for additional traffic stemming from the airport’s soon-to-be-completed Terminal 1. One of the nonprofit’s attorneys, Melania Mirzakhanian, said more tests were needed to ensure the land was safe while Andrew Hollingworth, a member of the Peninsula Community Planning Board, added that a lawsuit was likely.

Around a half-dozen others voiced support. San Diego Councilmember Joe LaCava argued that the lot could reduce the number of recreational vehicles parked illegally in Mission Bay. A union representative said many people employed by hotels — and there are several near the site — often couldn’t afford rent and needed places to sleep. One woman spoke about fleeing an abusive marriage and noted that residents in similar situations needed somewhere to go.

City officials said most spots at existing safe parking lots are full.

The permit requires the city to add a filter to a stormwater drain that will stop any pollutants running off nearby cars from reaching the North Bay, located just across the street. Officials must also prevent paint spills and assume all risks of the project.

The lot should offer a number of services on site and is scheduled to be open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. A city staffer said the curfew would likely be 10 p.m., although people could still leave after that time.

The proposed tents, known as sprung shelters, would each be 41 feet tall, 18,000 square feet and able to hold 300 people. It remains unclear how that element would be funded.

In five years, the land is slated to become part of San Diego’s Pure Water recycling project.

A separate proposal to covert an empty warehouse by Kettner Boulevard and Vine Street into one of the nation’s largest homeless shelters will finally get a public hearing before the City Council on July 22.

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San Diego, CA

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

Published

4 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: May 2026 | San Diego Magazine

When we think of May, we think of Mother’s Day, blooming flowers, sunny skies, and lots of fun, seasonal events in the city. This month, locals can dine on the creations of James Beard Award-Winning Chefs at Rancho Bernardo Inn, or take advantage of berry season at the annual Vista Strawberry Festival. Theatre lovers can enjoy a showing of Kim’s Convenience at The Old Globe, while the San Diego Natural History Museum invites art enthusiasts to view its latest marine-themed exhibit. Grab your tickets and crack open that planner. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

29

Louisiana legend Juvenile, enhances by the live instrumentation of The 400 Degreez Band, will perform career hits and his newest album, Boiling Point, at House of Blues San Diego.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

5/5–6/1

Turning the spotlight on contemporary LGBTQ artists, the inaugural ArtSpectrum 2026 will showcase both the grand and intimate scale of contemporary painters, photographers, and mixed media artists at Village Arts Outreach in Balboa Park.

12–24

The only ordinary element of the San Diego International Fringe Festival is the constant thrill of the extraordinary. Discover a plethora of innovative performances at venues from Pacific Beach to Baja.

5/15–6/14

A Korean-Canadian family balances tradition and assimilation from their Toronto storefront in Ins Choi’s comforting satire Kim’s Convenience, making its local premier at The Old Globe.

5/22–2/2027

Ocean debris will receive a new beginning at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Using repurposed pollution, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea depicts creatively sculpted marine life.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

4/30–5/3

Enjoy fine dining at its finest from a lineup of gastronomic titans during 54 Hours with James Beard Award-Winning Chefs. Savor elegant meals, masterclasses, tastings, and more at Rancho Bernardo Inn.

2

Unlimited bites, regional craft beers, and animal observations are on the menu for San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew (with live music), a culinary evening in support of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

7

Spend An Evening with David Sedaris, humorist, essayist, and best-selling author. Never afraid to point the pen at himself, Sedaris will share old favorites and works in progress in the classic satirical style he’s known for at Jacobs Music Center.

15–17

Say cheese! And toast to the Cheese & Libation Expo. Explore three days of all-you-can eat and drink fare at BRICK, along with boutique shopping and bountiful pairings.

PARTNER CONTENT

10 Years In, Puffer and Malarkey Are Just Getting Started

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu…

16

Stroll the private grounds of several luxurious homes, accompanied by live music, tabletop designs, and outdoor artistry, during the Secret Garden Tour, La Jolla Historical Society‘s flora and fauna fundraiser.

24

Vista recalls its days as a strawberry-producing superpower through its free Strawberry Festival. Wear your berry best fit, watch film screenings, and enter contests for shortcake, pie, and sundae indulging.

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San Diego, CA

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Published

16 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Last week Mayor Todd Gloria released the budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal budget. Protected homeless services is among his top priorities mentioned in the proposal. However, some of the reductions he’s proposing could impact thousands of San Diegans experiencing homelessness.

Located on 17^th and K Street, the Neil Good Day Center offers an array of services to nearly seven thousand people experiencing homelessness. The services include giving them a place to shower and do laundry, and connecting them to a case manager, among others.

“These are critical services that are helping people off the streets, but really better their lives and their health and their employment situation as well,” Deacon Vargas with Father Joe’s Villages said.

Deacon Jim Vargas heads Father Joe’s Villages, which runs the center. He said through their prevention and diversion strategies, they’ve managed to keep nearly one thousand individuals from falling into homelessness.

“So by helping them pay rent, or helping them with their utilities, or helping them to reunite with family,” Vargas said.

Right now, the city allocates at least $850,000 per year to the Neil Good Day Center, according to Vargas.

But the future and funding for these services are in limbo because of Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget cuts.

“The impact to those whom we’ve been serving the Daily Center would be very severe,” Deacon Vargas said.

In a statement to NBC 7, Mayor Todd Gloria said in part, “We must find more efficient and cost-effective ways to address this crisis and prioritize funding for programs that provide shelter beds and maximize resources to programs that place people into permanent housing.”

Since it’s still at a proposal stage, Deacon Vargas said it’s unclear how the city will decide to move forward.

However, Deacon Vargas said services would be significantly reduced because they would be forced to operate solely on a budget of about half a million dollars they receive from philanthropy.

“The hours would be cut. Some days would be cut. We would have showers that might be impacted because they’re given seven days a week and we’d close two days a week, then the showers would be five days a week, the case management,” Deacon Vargas said.

Deacon Vargas is certain of one thing.

He would like to continue offering services at the Day Center, even if the city goes through with the funding cuts.

“As we work with individuals at the Day Center and at Father Joe’s Villages, the community becomes healthier as a result of it,” Deacon Vargas said.

The budget also recommends additional cuts to homeless services, but does not give specifics as to where those cuts would be.

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