Written Communications
Item 8.1 – Fischer
Received 1/16/24
John Fischer CV City Council 01/16/24 Talking Points re Homeless Encampment on Industrial Blvd
1) Impact of homeless encampment on our storage business on Industrial Blvd:
a. Increased questions and concerns by customers about our security measures b. Trash and human fecal matter near out business
c. People parking in our business lot and along Industrial to run across and “visit” the campers – blocking our customers entering/exiting as well as causing a traffic safety hazard blocking bike lanes and normal traffic when they park on Industrial. Some of these visitors are people offering food, etc to campers, and others are obviously drug customers… d. Expenditures of several thousand dollars in labor and materials for:
i. Enhanced perimeter lighting (similar/same as what city has put up at the Palomar Motel) ii. Enhanced Fencing/perimeter protection
iii. Graffiti cleanup/painting over
iv. Increased “litter patrol” on our property
2) Homeless encampment cleaned up 12/12/23 and 1/9/24 – 1 month interval. Massive effort on 01/09/24 involving many people from police, non-profit support groups (Alpha Project?), other city workers (not sure total count or man hours) but so much trash that a large bucket loader was required to move it into dump trucks – too long between cleanups, and during all the time they are camped there is ongoing exposure of neighborhood, school kids, and businesses to the squalor, drug use, and insecurity, not to mention traffic safety issues as “visitors” frequently stop along narrow Industrial Blvd to visit or do business with campers…Notified 1/16/24 – assume cleanup will be 01/17/24…can we count on weekly action? a. Problem is, the unhoused set tents back up the same afternoon/evening as the cleanup and move- out happened…
3) Until longer term solutions can be enacted, we need to protect the spaces they are moved from from being immediate re-occupied….
a. Suggested options - ; fencing (as MTS has done near Palomar), landscaping (boulders, cactus, lighting…Frequent patrols once ordinances are enacted…? b. Lease or sell vacant land to private interested parties so that trespassing laws can be enforced… c. Other ideas?
4) Chula Vista goes to great lengths and expense to offer services and support to those trying to break the cycle of homelessness…Ernie Pinedo (and Angelica from Housing and Homeless Services Department) have spent a bit of time with me and other business owners in the area educating us on the services CV offers as well as the restrictions and limitations the city has to work under to abide by the laws protecting the rights of the un housed….The problem is many of the homeless don’t accept services…and what to do then?
5) Give Police the tools they need to deal with homeless who refuse help. I urge the City to enact a “No camping” ordinance following examples of Poway, San Diego and Sacramento. “Not allowed on public or Written Communications
Item 8.1 – Fischer
Received 1/16/24
private lands except for where specifically allowed. ” And camping in Sensitive spaces (near schools, utilities, waterways, etc) is a citable offense, with escalation to repeat offenders…
6) Coupled with the above, Give unhoused campers a safe place to go – I urge city to move with priority to identify a “Safe Camping” location where homeless can be moved to IFF they won’t accept services…. ”If you must camp, you can camp here safely and with hygienic facilities etc….”. a. Provide the services and resources that are the “magnets” that make this Palomar/Industrial space a “desirable” place to camp in the new location…
i. Have County HHS set up times and spaces in that campsite to provide services currently offered at HHS building.
ii. Direct charitable organizations, or even businesses, to provide the help they offer in those spaces ONLY! (Think like “bookmobile” or “bloodmobile” mobile services) Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent issue.