California Coastal Commission Approves Safe Homeless Parking Expansion Near Harbor Island

A program for unsheltered people who are living out of their cars will be expanding into a new site following approval by the California Coastal Commission.

The Safe Parking Program, which is operated by Jewish Family Services of San Diego, will now expand to H Barracks near Harbor Island, following a unanimous vote.

The program is intended to provide a safe place for unhoused residents to sleep overnight in their vehicles, with access to resources to help participants on their path to housing.

The H Barracks location will provide approximately 190 spaces, and it will serve families, seniors, students, and veterans. It offers restrooms, a pet relief area, housing navigation, mental health services, job training, and more.

A possible second phase of the permit includes the potential for two structures on site to shelter up to 300 people, part of a contingency plan should a planned shelter campus at Hope @ Vine on Kettner Boulevard not receive San Diego City Council approval.

That would include more on-site services and resources to help unhoused people transition off the streets and into more permanent shelter.

The number of people living in their cars locally has nearly doubled over the past year, according to San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s office.