SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – For some, good fences make good neighbors.
But here in Lemon Grove, at the corner of Troy Street and Sweetwater Road, this fence means the start of a project some neighbors have been fighting. It’s the long-awaited tiny cabins for the homeless.
“Today is day one. They're putting up the fencing. Tomorrow they're supposed to start digging. So tomorrow we'll see more of the heavy equipment out here to actually start the construction of it.” Mayor Alysson Snow, City of Lemon Grove, said.
The County of San Diego project is bringing 60 tiny cabins for the homeless to the area. ABC 10News has been covering the project since May 2024 from the pushback in Spring Valley to the relocation of the project to Lemon Grove.
Some people in the area are not happy that construction is happening.
"They won't listen to the people of Lemon Grove. We've had a meeting where there's over 500 people, and they won't listen to us,” Larry Bomano, a business owner across the street from the site, said.
Others feel conflicted about the project.
“I understand why they're trying to implement this project to provide housing, uh, for people who don't have it,” Diego Juarez, who lives near the site, said. “And I don't think there's really been any solid answers, sharing of plans, um, addressing the concerns of citizens.”
ABC 10News has spoken to snow, and County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, whose district is home to the cabins, over different stages of the project, including those concerns from those in the area.
“This is going to move forward. But we need to be a good neighbor and a good partner. Our job now is to make sure that we have a project that is successful, that is a good neighbor, that helps people,” Montgomery Steppe previously told ABC 10News in March.
Those ABC 10News spoke to on Monday brought up concerns of who will be on the site and how the vetting process will work for those people.
Snow said the County recently held a webinar to address those concerns, adding there will be 24-hour security at the site.
“Before you're allowed to come in, you're vetted, so they have outreach services that go out into the community, make sure that you meet the qualifications, so no sex offenders here, nobody with criminal felony convictions, “Snow said. “It's like they're screened for those types of things.”
The County’s latest webinar shows that construction is estimated to take a full year, with the cabins opening in summer 2027.
Lemon Grove resident Ken King, who ABC 10News has spoken to in the past about his objection to the site's location, sent us the following statement about the construction phase beginning on Monday.
"The residents of Lemon Grove deserve to be heard, not dismissed.
County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe and Mayor Alysson Snow have advanced a proposal that most in our community strongly oppose. Despite clear and repeated public pushback, city leadership, including Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza, has acknowledged this opposition and chosen to proceed anyway. That decision has left many residents feeling marginalized and unheard.
Lemon Grove is the smallest city in East County, with limited infrastructure and resources. Yet, it is being positioned as a central hub for homelessness services across the region. This raises serious concerns about fairness, capacity, and long-term impact on our community.
The proposed site is located near family homes and schools, including a recently constructed preschool funded by approximately $30 million in taxpayer dollars. At the same time, the project’s design raises practical concerns: these are not traditional housing units, but pods without kitchens or private bathrooms. There are also questions about oversight, including the absence of requirements for sobriety or participation in supportive services and the proximity of the site to a liquor store.
Residents are also questioning the financial approach. Many believe that more sustainable and cost-effective alternatives such as acquiring existing multi-unit housing or leasing vacant properties have not been fully considered. Additionally, there is no clear guarantee that individuals currently experiencing homelessness within Lemon Grove will be prioritized for placement, raising fears that Lemon Grove could bear a disproportionate regional burden.
Community frustration has been significant. A recall effort targeting Mayor Snow emerged, and some participants have alleged concerns related to voter intimidation and election integrity. Those concerns have been formally submitted to the city’s election official, DA, Secretary of State, and deserve appropriate review.
We are calling for a pause.
Specifically, we urge the Lemon Grove City Council to step away from the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County and surrounding cities. This pause would allow for a transparent evaluation of legal options, site suitability, community impact, and alternative solutions that better serve both the residents of Lemon Grove and those in need of housing.
Lemon Grove residents are not opposed to solutions. We are asking for responsible, equitable, and community-informed ones. We ask our community to unite to ensure our representatives understand they work for us and not the other way around. This isn't a red or blue issue. This is about what's best for the city of Lemon Grove, residents, business owners, and those who need housing. If that can not be understood by our representatives, then we need to unite at the ballot box."
