OCEANSIDE — The city will launch a new safe parking lot program in early 2025, partnering with Dreams for Change, a San Diego-based nonprofit that provides secure parking and supportive services for unhoused individuals and families.
The City Council unanimously approved a one-year, $229,368 agreement with Dreams for Change to operate the program at 1919 Apple Street, near the Fire Mountain community. The site, currently in escrow, will also house the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, which will serve as host once its purchase is finalized.
Oceanside joins other local North County cities, including Vista and Encinitas, which also have safe parking programs run by Jewish Family Services, a separate organization from Dreams for Change.
Dreams for Change, selected for its extensive experience running similar programs across San Diego County since 2010, has helped over 6,100 individuals, achieving a housing stabilization rate of 30% to 35%, according to city officials.
The program will provide a secure overnight parking option for 25 to 35 vehicles, accommodating small and large RVs. In addition to offering a safe place to sleep, it will provide amenities such as bathrooms, showers, food, water, and trash services.
Participants will also have access to wraparound services, including housing navigation, workforce training, financial literacy, and resource referrals.
“We need this to work,” said Oceanside resident and houseless advocate Sunny Soto-Briscoe, who runs Sunny Street Outreach, a local program providing meals to the unhoused. “We have a lot of eyes on us right now when it comes to addressing our houseless crisis – this is going to be so good for our city.”
The program will operate nightly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., with two staff members on-site. Clients must adhere to “good neighbor policies” designed to ensure safety and minimize disruption to the surrounding community.
City improvements to the Apple Street site will include a security gate and fencing, a mobile security system, ADA accessibility upgrades, debris removal, landscaping, and four installed solar streetlights. The program will also feature self-service kiosks from Pulse for Good to gather real-time, anonymous feedback from participants and community members.
Max Disposti, executive director of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, said the organization will play an active role once the site becomes operational.
“Even though we’re the hosts of the site, we’re collaborating with Dreams for Change and have done plenty of training with them in the past few years,” Disposti said. “We’ll also make sure we have two organizations providing resources. We’re not just hosting and watching, we’re also there to be actively involved as well.”
Samantha Rogers, program manager for the new safe parking lot, said Dreams for Change is ready to expand its reach into North County.
“This took a long time from advocacy to getting it approved and to actually have it here,” Soto-Briscoe said. “I’m 1,000% behind this… we as a city need to offer more solutions to avoid becoming totally unhoused.”
Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa, formerly the executive director of Operation HOPE-North County, noted the success of Vista’s safe parking lot program and expressed optimism about Oceanside’s initiative.
“It was amazing, and I’m excited for this program to come to Oceanside,” Figueroa said. “It shows what true collaboration looks like when we have multiple nonprofits working together along with our local government.”
Councilmember Rick Robinson also voiced support, expressing hope for reasonable lease terms with the North County LGBTQ Resource Center for the program.
With the council’s approval, the city will prepare the site and ramp up operations through January, with the program expected to launch in February. Staff will return to the council in February to finalize a lease agreement, and the city will actively monitor the program’s success over the next year.
