(KGTV) — San Diego Police spent Tuesday morning clearing homeless camps downtown and in the East Village.
Tosha Alvarado says she's been living in a tent in the East Village for six years. She says she's been in and out of shelters and is on waiting list for housing.
“In all honesty, I feel safer outside, I have people who look out for me , we're like one big family out here,” said Alvarado.
Alvarado is one of the estimated 2,000 people living on the streets of downtown. Michael McConnell has been an advocate for them for years .
“This is tailgate park and it used to be surrounded by people living on the sidewalk there and now they're further away somewhere, but they surely haven't disappeared,” said McConnell.
McConnell says police have been giving people 3 hours to take down their tents and move their belongings or risk having them thrown out. McConnell says the crackdowns happen before any big event, like Opening Day.
“ I think they should constantly be cleaning up but in a way that's more respectful and dignified,” said McConnell.
Alex Rodriguez owns El Puerto Seafood and Beer across from Petco Park.
He says the clean up is only a temporary fix.
" Not a great look to have homeless people and I mean trash, tents , tons of bikes and stuff that collect all flooding that area so they clear that out but again you pass by there the next day and they're starting to get back over there,” said Rodriguez.
The police department directed any questions about the sweeps to the mayor’s office. A spokesperson did not respond when asked if the clean ups are related to Opening Day Thursday.
The mayor’s office says there are 1,800 city funded shelter beds.
McConnell says only a few dozen are available on an average day.
“Every morning just down the road at the homelessness response center where you can try to get a shelter bed, there’s long lines of people waiting outside to get a shelter bed,” said McConnell.
