ENCINITAS — After more than five years of operation, Jewish Family Service of San Diego will officially end its Safe Parking Program in the parking lot of the Encinitas Community Center on New Year’s Eve.
The move comes just weeks after JFS warned the Encinitas City Council that it would likely end the program without a full year of city funding, estimated at approximately $610,000.
Council members said they felt blindsided by the Nov. 19 request and instead offered to split the cost of a six-month extension — with JFS and the city each paying about $150,000 — while the city explored other funding options.
Mayor Bruce Ehlers also noted that the city did not have $610,000 available in its current budget and would need time to finalize it before committing funds for the 2026-27 fiscal year, which begins in early July.
Ehlers proposed splitting the cost of a six-month extension with JFS, though it was unclear at the time whether the nonprofit would agree.
The organization, which provides services to people experiencing homelessness throughout the region, formally rejected the offer in a Dec. 3 statement.
“We thank the Encinitas City Council for its offer to partially fund a six-month extension. This does not make the program sustainable, and JFS is unable to continue the program after December 31,” Chief Executive Officer Dana Toppel stated. “We will operate the Safe Parking Program through the end of December and will continue to provide additional services and resources to Encinitas residents through JFS programs and our partners.”
The Safe Parking Program offers a temporary overnight location for people experiencing homelessness who are living in their vehicles, allowing them to park without fear of being cited by local police or becoming targets for crime.
According to JFS, the Encinitas program has provided 306 people with a safe place to park and sleep since launching in 2020, while also offering “vital resources and tools, and a welcoming environment to help them stabilize their lives and transition back into housing.”
“Through the program, 145 participants were able to obtain more secure housing,” Toppel stated.
Originally, JFS provided 25 spaces at the Encinitas location; however, in November, JFS staff told City Council they had reduced the number of filled spots to 15-18 in anticipation of the program’s shutdown. Ehlers said he was surprised by that disclosure and called it “wrong and unacceptable.”
Ehlers and other council members also questioned the abrupt change after the city had previously approved a six-month extension in May to keep the program operating through the end of the year.
In response, Toppel said JFS informed the city in May that the program’s funding structure was unsustainable.
The program is funded through the state Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, and allocations from JFS through private philanthropy and general operating funds. The city was never obligated to fund the program during its five-year operation.
Toppel clarified that the June extension was not a financial contract and that HHAP funding was still expected to end Dec. 31.
“JFS is currently enrolling eligible households at the site, while letting all participants know that the Encinitas program will be closing at the end of the year,” Toppel continued. “JFS staff are actively connecting participants with resources and transition support to ensure continuity of care to the greatest extent possible.”
JFS operates seven other safe parking lots in the region, primarily in San Diego, though it temporarily suspended operations at its Aero Drive site.
With the loss of the Encinitas site, North County will have only two safe parking programs remaining: a JFS-operated lot in Vista and a site at the North County LGBTQ Center in Oceanside operated by Dreams for Change.
Both the Vista and Oceanside sites offer 25 parking spaces. JFS will refer some Encinitas clients to its other locations.
Dreams for Change is aware of the Encinitas program’s closure and has already received calls and self-referrals from some participants, according to Kelly Spoon, the organization’s director of marketing and communications.
The Oceanside program currently has two openings.
“We use a self-referral interest list on our website, where we presently have about 40 households awaiting placement,” Spoon said via email. “As spaces become available, we contact the next household on the list and allow 72 hours for a response, understanding that many individuals have limited cell data and may need time to access Wi-Fi before replying.”
Ehlers said Encinitas is continuing to explore options to either revive the program independently or partner with other organizations, such as San Diego Rescue Mission, though he acknowledged it is unlikely a new program could be launched by the start of the year.
“It could return, or it could be something else,” Ehlers said. “We’re going to continue to look at the problem through factual findings and see where we really need the help.”
Ehlers also questioned the data JFS provided regarding the number of clients served, but said he would have been willing to continue the program if the city had a financially viable model or grant funding.
Last year, the city applied for Encampment Resolution Funding, a grant through the state Department of Housing and Community Development that could have provided nearly $3 million to address local homeless encampments, including the safe parking program.
The application was later quietly withdrawn by former city management following the 2024 election, without the knowledge of the previous or newly seated City Council. Ehlers had just been elected mayor.
“We’re going to do the right thing,” Ehlers said.
Dreams for Change also acknowledged the city’s efforts to explore options for filling the gap left by Jewish Family Services’ abrupt departure.
“We also understand that the City of Encinitas is actively exploring solutions, and we are confident they will work to address the needs of their community,” Spoon said.
1 comment
Farewell Contentious JFS Homeless Parking Lot
JFS charged $1.00 (one US dollar) per year, which was the deal, in exchange the Encinitas space to host their “safe parking lot for the homeless, living im cars. Said “lot” put the town of Encinitas on the homeless map, without voter consent or approval. Further, the original promise of “students” and “locals” using the lot, was untrue, never materialized. It was used by non-locals primarily, few to no students. Not what the intent was. Never a “success”. The numbers proved it.
With the newly announced $610,000 JFS charge to the city for the lot, and with an additional 5 new JFS lots now elsewhere, there is no need for the City of Encinitas to further host the lot on city property, never zoned for this in the first place. The switcheroo is unacceptable for the city, residents, and city budget. And the voters and residents never wanted it, don’t want to pay for it.
Alas, reason, logic, local, and fiscal stewardship may resume for our town.