Save the Park

                                      SAVE THE PARK Petition      

Balboa Park – the “Jewel of San Diego”, is suffering from blight caused by homeless encampments and the behavior of certain individuals who have chosen to live in Balboa Park.

The San Diego Police Department has been instructed by the City Attorney’s office to use “progressive enforcement” against those who camp illegally in the park. This approach is intended to be compassionate towards those who are homeless, but instead gives them implicit permission to live in the park without restriction, and the result is the many homeless encampments we see in the park. This approach is not working, and, furthermore, it is actually not the compassionate route.

The homeless people and people with mental health problems routinely decline offers of shelter beds and choose instead to stay in the Park where they do not have to follow rules.

No one has the “right” to camp overnight in the park, nor to spread litter, urinate/defecate in public, use illicit drugs, interfere with use of park bathrooms, and scream obscenities at park visitors. Those of us who live near the park see the blight caused by these behavior issues every day. This affects and infringes on the the rights of San Diego residents and visitors who want to enjoy Balboa Park in peace and safety.

We, the undersigned, request the City of San Diego enforce the following laws to remove the homeless encampments and their occupants from Balboa Park:

CA Penal Code § 647(e) – Illegal Lodging  

San Diego Municipal Code 54.0110  – Encroachment

San Diego Municipal Code 63.0102 (b) (12) – Overnight Camping   

Michael Welch    Contact the author of the petition