Level Loma residents protest proposed homeless shelter at H Barracks

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5) — Level Loma residents gathered for a city corridor Monday night time to protest the location of latest homeless shelter on the positioning of an deserted army barracks subsequent to Liberty Station.

The plan to ascertain the 700-person “protected tenting web site” on the facility simply off Harbor Drive, referred to as the H Barracks, was proposed by San Diego leaders final 12 months alongside the “unsafe tenting ordinance” banning encampments in sure areas.

Based on officers, the positioning is essential for the town’s potential to implement the brand new ordinance, as they want to have the ability to give these residing in tents someplace to go below federal court docket precedent.

Nevertheless, the initiative has acquired a whole lot of blowback from residents, who say they’re involved about crime, psychological well being episodes and drug use.

In the course of the city corridor organized by the nonprofit Level Loma Cares, some spoke from private expertise to clarify why they’re petrified of the affect the shelter may have on the neighborhood.

“There was a person within the toilet along with his pants down with a needle in his arm and my 7-year-old needed to see that,” Derek Falconer, director of Level Loma Cares, advised FOX 5. “I needed to clarify to a 7-year-old little one why that was taking place, and what’s occurring.”

“My story about my son, everybody has that story,” he continued.

A number of college students within the space additionally voiced frustration about it on the city corridor. Jaeden Hicks, a senior at Rock Academy, stated “We don’t need to have to fret about their psychological well being or their security, we would like college students to have the ability to dwell and to have enjoyable.” 

San Diego officers pushed again on a few of these issues, explaining that the shelter can be referral-only and have numerous companies accessible on-site

“People suppose that metropolis shelters are a lawless space the place we put of us, throw away the important thing, and overlook about them, however they’re activated program areas,” stated Khota Zaiser, council affairs advisor for San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s workplace.

“We don’t settle for stroll ups, that is referral-based solely, so the one of us that can be dropped at the positioning are of us which have a mattress reserved for them,” he continued.

Zaiser additionally stated there can be a excessive safety presence on the web site and transportation sources to “attempt to mitigate a few of the wandering or loitering that may occur to get of us the place they should go to.” 

The proposed web site has been left vacant for a few years as a consequence of points with lead contamination and asbestos. Outdoors serving as army housing, it was additionally beforehand used as a coaching web site for San Diego police and San Diego Hearth-Rescue.

Board members with Level Loma Cares say the protection points with the positioning prompted a number of authorized challenges in opposition to the town over time.

“The situations simply weren’t wholesome for the human race typically,” stated Level Loma activist, Margaret Virissimo.

The present buildings can be torn all the way down to make means for the tenting web site, ought to the town transfer ahead with the proposed shelter.

In that case, residents say their final line of protection can be submitting a lawsuit to halt the proposed shelter. They’re additionally stressing a everlasting housing resolution as an alternative — one thing the town has additionally been making an attempt to pursue.

FOX 5’s Danielle Dawson contributed to this report.