San Leandro Needs a Safe Parking Program

(Image credit: City of Long Beach)

We have over 400 unhoused San Leandrans, many of whom live in their vehicles — trailers, RVs, trucks, or even sedans and SUVs. If complaints from residents are any indication, many of our neighbors are parking their vehicles at the Marina and other mostly empty large parking lots. The results are difficult but unsurprising, with trash, waste, and domestic disturbances. Meanwhile, SLPD has stepped up enforcement efforts without thought for the fact that these members of our community cannot afford the fines or arrests and, more importantly, they have nowhere to go.

But there's a solution we can take that might alleviate this problem without undue COVID-19 risks: safe parking programs.

As these individuals and families work to lift themselves up out of a difficult situation, many are making daily and nightly choices between having a safe space to sleep and crippling penalties just for existing. Creating further barriers to stability are the isolation and lack of social support that so often accompany homelessness. 

However, safe parking programs provide a welcoming environment, meaningful resources and tools, as well as dignified support to help our neighbors stabilize and transition back into permanent housing. These programs typically include holistic services focused on basic needs assistance, employment, family wellness, school success, financial education, credit repair, and housing. The goal is to create a meaningful, accessible pathway out of homelessness while meeting people where they are now.

The city, to its credit, has begun reaching out to local organizations about their interest in partnering together on a pilot safe parking program for our unhoused neighbors. Unfortunately, of all the faith organizations in the city, only two stepped up to have a dialogue about potentially offering their facilities for this critical need during the harsher winter months and Omicron variant spread. I encourage you to call city leaders and local religious institutions to put public pressure to implement this pilot program as soon as possible.

In the words of April Showers member Noel Moritz, "I have not heard of any of our homeless people dying of hunger. I have heard of them dying from exposure."

Learn more about models of safe parking programs here.