SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – James Prince, the owner of a recycling center in Point Loma, went to the Peninsula Community Planning Board Thursday night to try and save his business.
Prince Recycling is being evicted from his location on the property of the Stump’s Family Market Place.
Prince Recycling has become a controversial business in the past one or two years. It is the only recycling center in the area, but many neighbors have started complaining that it is bringing homeless problems to the area.
Dirk Stump, the owner of the grocery store, confirmed he is evicting the recycling center, ending their agreement for the past five years.
The area is required to have a recycling center, and Dirk says the state could fine him more than $36,000 a year for cutting ties with recycling, but at this point, he is willing to pay, because he says the center is attracting homeless and chasing away customers. He said Mr. Prince is a good person and it was purely a business decision.
“I recycle thousands of tons of material, and it’s not just from homeless,” Prince said. “Not only that, they’re people too. What am I supposed to do? You’re homeless you can’t come in?”
The planning board did not take any action on the issue. Prince says he’s not making any plans to vacate. He is getting legal help to fight the eviction.