Local leaders applaud SDUSD for approving safe sleeping site at former Central Elementary
By City News Service
Contributors: Katie Anastas / Education Reporter, Charlotte Radulovich / Video Journalist
SAN DIEGO - A day after the San Diego Unified School District's board approved a proposal to open a safe parking site at the former Central Elementary School, city and district leaders applauded the decision Wednesday.
"I know what it feels like to call a car home and not know whether the place I was parked was safe to sleep," City Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera said at a news conference Wednesday. "No child should ever have to feel that way. Every child in San Diego deserves the safety and stability that come from having a secure place to rest at night. The Central Elementary Safe Parking site represents what we can achieve when we work together with compassion, creativity, and a shared commitment to dignity for every family."
The agreement approved Tuesday night by the SDUSD Board of Trustees licenses the site to the San Diego Housing Commission. A second proposal to allow Jewish Family Service to operate the program will be in front of the board at its Nov. 7 meeting. The project will be funded by the city and the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
The former school site will "provide a safe place to park and sleep for a minimum of 40 families with children experiencing homelessness" in San Diego, according to a housing commission statement.
"When we create space for families to stabilize, we give them the foundation to rebuild," SDUSD Board Vice President Richard Barrera said. "Safe parking programs are a bridge between crisis and recovery, between fear and stability, and between surviving and thriving."
If the contract with JFS is approved, the program would also provide services for families staying at the site, including assistance in locating safe and affordable permanent or other longer-term housing.
"No child should ever have to go to sleep afraid for their safety or wellbeing," Board Trustee Shana Hazan said. "Safe Parking programs give families the security and support they need to move out of their cars and into stable housing. As a district, we can't solve homelessness alone — but we can be part of the solution by partnering with local agencies and supporting programs that help families stay close to their schools and keep students on track to succeed in school."
The program will coordinate with the SDUSD's homeless liaison for services and support for the students and their families. It would also include a classroom trailer for a quiet place to complete homework, case management sessions and basic appliances for cooking.
Read the full article from KPBS: https://www.kpbs.org/news/education/2025/10/29/local-leaders-applaud-sdusd-for-approving-safe-sleeping-site-at-former-central-elementary