SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Nikki Brackeen is back to square one after having to flee the tent she lives in near the San Diego River on Sunday night.
Rising waters from the San Diego River flooded the area she sleeps on along the river in Mission Valley.
“Every time it rains hard, I lose everything I own. Everything," Brackeen said.
Brackeen has been living near the river off and on for the last eight years and left her tent with not much more than the clothes on her back after the storm Sunday.
A local nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness estimates hundreds are sleeping along the San Diego River.
“Our city is gravely failing to take care of people experiencing homelessness," said Amie Zamudio, an advocate with Housing 4 the Homeless.
Zamudio said she and other advocates for the homeless relocated at least 26 people, including Brackeen, from the river into hotel rooms from Sunday to Monday.
She wants to see 24-hour shelter space made available to the homeless during storms so no one is left outside in the rain.
“Everybody here deserves to be safe and dry and loved," said Tara Stamos-Buesig, CEO of San Diego's Harm Reduction Coalition.
Stamos-Buesig said her phone started ringing off the hook Sunday from homeless people living near the river who needed help as the waters rose.
She used to be homeless and lived along the riverbank almost two decades ago. She fears someone is going to die from rising flood waters because not everyone has a cell phone and knows when it's time to leave.
“If they go to sleep at 11 o'clock at night and floodwaters are rising we need to get out there and make sure they’re aware and get them to safety immediately," Stamos-Buesig said.
Brackeen is staying in a motel paid for by Housing 4 the Homeless until Thursday. After that, she may be right back to square one and if waters recede, have to sleep by the river.
