SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The City of San Diego says it has arrested one person since passing its unsafe camping ordinance in June that bans the homeless from living in tents on many public streets.
The city has given eight misdemeanor citations and 148 people “education” and “warning of the law,” according to city spokesperson Ashley Bailey-Nicholes.
Enforcement of the controversial ordinance started July 31st, but many city streets are still lined with encampments in the downtown area.
“It’s so hard to get housing. It’s so hard to get in shelters that this is what we have,” said Keniya Hill, who spends her days and nights outside next to the post office in East Village.
On any given day, tents surround the postal building.
Hill, 47, said she’s familiar with the ordinance that makes it illegal to camp on public streets when shelter beds are available.
“It makes you have to be responsible. Either you’re going to go to jail or you’re going to comply.”
But she said a shelter bed isn’t always what a homeless person needs and added many simply prefer to be on the streets.
“This is like my family,” she said pointing to tents near the post office.
The unsafe camping ordinance makes it illegal to camp at any time regardless of shelter bed capacity near schools, shelters, trolley tracks, transportation hubs, waterways, and some city parks.
"We're getting people out of unsafe and unsanitary encampments through our unsafe camping ordinance,” said Mayor Todd Gloria Friday, while announcing a second safe sleeping site for the homeless.
The new site, located on the edge of Balboa Park, will have room for 400 tents and opens on Saturday.
"This safe sleeping site will not only change lives, it will save lives,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn.
The new site requires a referral to sleep at and has restrooms, food and laundry available for the homeless.
