Oceanside Launches Safe Parking Program for Homeless

Oceanside has launched its first Safe Parking Program, providing 25 overnight parking spots for homeless residents living in their vehicles, in partnership with Dreams for Change and the North County LGBTQ Resource Center. The program allows participants, referred by case workers or through limited self-referral, to access restrooms, showers, hygiene supplies, housing navigation, job training, and behavioral health support. Funded by a $200,000 grant for its first year, the initiative focuses on working families and first-time homeless individuals, aiming to move them into stable housing quickly. The site is staffed nightly, maintains low barriers for entry, and enforces a zero-tolerance policy on substance abuse. Community response has been mixed, with concerns about neighborhood impact weighed against support for humane intervention. Oceanside’s effort joins similar safe parking programs across San Diego County, including a planned large-scale site near the San Diego airport.