SAN DIEGO — Neighbors are noticing a dramatic clean-up in the East Village neighborhood of downtown San Diego, as the city clears out dozens of homeless encampments.
This massive effort here in East Village was funded by a $2.5 million grant from the state.
"It's a work in progress, a work in progress," said East Village resident Alanna Dominick, who said she was homeless herself four years ago.
"It was just covered with tents here," she added. "You couldn't really get through."
"There was tent after tent," said East Village resident Rex Cabagnot. "We had a couple residents, their doors were blocked by tents."
Cabagnot has lived here for the past four years.
"It feels a lot safer, especially in our building, because we did have a lot of break-ins," he said. "People sleeping in our garage."
"Normally this block has tents around the perimeter here," said East Village resident Matthew LLoyd, who moved into the neighborhood in September. "I've just noticed a lot less tents lately."
"It's a big difference," said Cabagnot. "A big difference."
According to the Mayor's office, outreach workers successfully connected 19 of the San Diegans who'd been living in tents here with housing, and another 71 were placed either into shelters or the city's Safe Sleeping program, where case workers are helping them find housing.
"A lot of these people who are still out here in these tents, there is a reason why," said Carol Simpson, who once lived in a tent on these streets herself and has now found a shelter. "They're in a situation they can't get out of."
Simpson said that she is encouraged by the clean-up, but says some unsheltered San Diegans who refuse help simply camp somewhere else.
"The people in these tents are moving themselves from one place to another," she told CBS 8, "because they choose not to take responsibility to go into those shelters, because of maybe addiction to drugs or whatever they're into."
Some residents are concerned this clean-up here will only be temporary.
"I've seen it clean before and then it just comes back," said Cabagnot.
Others remain more optimistic.
"I am hoping that it sticks," Lloyd said. "I like it. I don't have to walk down the middle of the street, and I also feel like they're not just getting shuffled around but that they're getting sent someplace where they can get valid help and resources."
Earlier this month, the city also approved another three million dollars on a similar clean-up project in Normal Heights and City Heights.
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