County Reopens East County Safe Parking Site After Renovations
The County’s safe parking site on North Magnolia Avenue in El Cajon reopens tonight for families and individuals experiencing homelessness in need of overnight parking.
The Safe Parking program provides support and services for people who are unsheltered and have a vehicle. Participation is limited to individuals and families referred to the program by the County’s homeless outreach team.
The Magnolia site has 16 secure parking spaces where people can sleep in their vehicles, have access to bathrooms, showers, meals, case management and housing navigation support to help participants find more permanent housing.
It provides employment, health and social services resources as well as flexible funding to help remove any barriers to housing.
In 2024, the Magnolia site closed to undergo a $3 million renovation. Portable toilets were replaced by permanent bathrooms and shower facilities and the picnic area was upgraded. The meeting space was improved and a new area was added for dogs.
Manolia is the first safe parking program in East County. Since opening, it has served nearly 200 participants, including 41 children and 48 seniors. Half of its participants have exited the program and moved on to more stable housing options.
“There was no resource out of touch, and there were resources I had no idea that were available,” says Nikki Kerscy, a former safe parking participant. “Now I’m employed, I have my own apartment, I’m off the system. It works.”
Before Magnolia opened in 2022, the site was part of a large homeless encampment that spread below the overpass and spilled into the street.
Dreams for Change, a local homeless service provider, is contracted by the County to operate the program. Dreams for Change also handles two other safe parking programs for the County, Grantville and Bancroft, providing an additional 47 safe parking spaces.
Magnolia opens nightly at 5:30 p.m. and participants must leave the following morning by 7 a.m. Security is onsite 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and people experiencing homelessness can remain enrolled in the program as long as needed, until a more permanent housing solution is secured.
The Magnolia, Bancroft and Grantville Safe Parking programs are all part of the County’s broader efforts to expand emergency housing options for people experiencing homelessness in the unincorporated communities.
Learn more about programs and resources on the County’s Office of Homeless Solutions website.