SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — On the outskirts of Balboa Park just off of Presidents Way is a parking lot with a handful of empty spaces.
Instead of envisioning cars there, one local nonprofit wants the city and neighbors to envision a place to house San Diego's homeless.
"We've, for a long while, called on governments to activate underutilized government-owned property to address our region's most pressing issue," said Drew Moser, the Executive Director of the Lucky Duck Foundation, which aims to curb homelessness in San Diego.
At a press conference in the parking lot on Wednesday, Moser and a supporter announced their desire for this parking lot in one of the city's biggest tourist attractions to be transformed into a safe space for those young and old who are living in the streets.
Moser says the plan consists of installing industrial tent structures to house more than 500 people experiencing homelessness.
He estimates the startup cost per bed would be anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000, which Moser says is still a fraction of the cost of building affordable housing.
"We say if housing is the only thing that's focused on, it's like telling passengers on a sinking ship 'Hang tight. We'll build you some lifeboats sometime in the next two to 20 years," said Moser.
Lucky Duck also says building the tents would take several months.
Ana Cordova frequently brings her son to this parking lot, where they catch the Balboa Park tram and he rides his scooter.
"This is actually a good location when you think about it cause people can still enjoy the park and you can still help people over here," said Cordova, agreeing that more needs to be done to provide space for those experiencing homelessness.
Lucky Duck's press conference did not include anyone from the city.
In a statement to ABC 10, San Diego Councilmember Stephen Whitburn wrote:
“We have been actively engaged with community members, service providers, and other stakeholders to identify potential locations for safe camping and shelter.
Inspiration Point is among the potential locations being explored.
Leaders in the Lucky Duck Foundation have been aware of that, so it was disappointing to see the Foundation take this approach without joining our office in engaging with the community.
We have found that most stakeholders are interested in genuine collaboration as we work toward efficient and effective solutions, and I will continue to work with those who truly want to be a part of the solution including the Lucky Duck Foundation.”
