CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - The homeless encampment continues to grow near the shuttered Harborside Park in Chula Vista, even as the City Council meets to discuss its fate Tuesday night.
In August 2022, when Harborside Park was being closed off, then 70-year-old Chieko, who was living in the park, moved a block away to a homeless encampment.
“I watched them close it down,” said Chieko. “It was the only place in the city I found to be safe."
Chieko says the encampment has been cleared many times, always re-forms. The core group is about two dozen.
She says since it was last cleared out about a week ago, the number of tents has climbed to about 50.
“Different places. Downtown, East County, all coming this way,” said Luis, who also lives in the encampment.
He says the new faces are coming from areas with ordinances cracking down encampments.
Meanwhile, the population near the park is swelling, as city officials mull the fate of the park at a city council meeting Tuesday night. The park was fenced off in 2022 because of issues with the homeless, and reports of drugs and prostitution.
Some contend most of the troubles in the park weren't caused by the homeless, but by people who would stop by to party.
“They party during the week, night and day, and go home on weekends,” said Chieko.
Both Chieko and Luis hope the park is reopened. They say any drug use or other issues in front of kids and families would be addressed by the homeless community.
“If I see it, I won’t stand for it. I’ll stop it myself,” said Luis.
“If they didn't stop, we would ban them from the community,” said Chieko.
But as for the number of homeless, Chieko says if the park reopens, they aren't going anywhere, as she and other consider the site is considered a safe area.
