OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) – A parking lot off of Oceanside boulevard where the north county LGBTQ resource was business as usual on Tuesday afternoon.
But, come Tuesday night, it’s going to look different with the grand opening of Oceanside new safe parking lot for the homeless.
“The North County LGBTQ Resource Center is our partner. It’s their property and Dreams For Change is the operator.” Salvador Roman, City of Oceanside, said.
Last year’s snapshot on the homelessness crisis in oceanside shows more than 2/3 of the city’s homeless were living on the streets.
“I think that this serves a special population,” Roman said. “A lot of the people that we are serving are working families. They’re people with income. The majority of people are experiencing homelessness for the first time.”
Roman told the site will be by referral-only by contracted partners and open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., seven days a week.
“It gives them the resources and services to get to the next point in their housing plan,” Roman said.
Teresa Smith is the CEO of Dreams For Change who told ABC 10News the non-profit has different safe parking sites in San Diego, Spring Valley and one in El Cajon undergoing renovations.
“Safe parking is kind of a way to reach people that may not see themselves as homeless,” Teresa Smith, the CEO of Dreams For Change, said. “We do try to look at the whole picture and what services are really need to move that person quickly as possible back into housing. And to do that type of work right there at the site as much as possible.”
25 parking spots in the lot will be available with the program.
The City and Dreams For Change did a soft opening prior to the grand opening on Tuesday to get people and the surrounding area accustomed to the program.
“What we’ve seen is local people kind of want to try to stay local where their connections are. We’re excited to provide that service right there where they’re from.”
