SAN DIEGO — Trash strewn across the sidewalk. Disgusting furniture next to a business. And what appears to be a person urinating in public.
A Rolando Village resident sent CBS 8 pictures he’s taken around his neighborhood. He says the homeless situation along El Cajon Boulevard is getting worse and he doubts the county's latest plan to spend millions will fix that.
“It's disgusting and it smells,” said Daniel, who has reported his findings over 1,600 times on the city’s Get It Done app.
Daniel asked us not to give out his last name because he fears the people causing these conditions will retaliate against him. But several times a week, he takes pictures of the filth and sends them to the city.
“I've been to meetings. I've talked to people in the city council, and the homeless agencies and we're still back at the beginning,” he said.
Daniels believes the problem starts at The Salvation Army Thrift Store Donation Center on El Cajon Boulevard.
People leave donations after hours and they become an attractive nuisance, drawing in homeless people looking for free stuff. Daniel says those people then start wandering through his neighborhood.
“I come home, and I find the homeless defecating on our lawns, they're vandalizing the properties, we've had break-ins, we've had them doing drugs on the property,” he said.
On Monday, County Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher announced that the county has activated a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), with 18 incorporated cities to provide resources ranging from help getting financial and medical aid to behavioral health services.
The county will also vote later this month to provide $10 million to help cities get homeless shelters up and running faster. “Getting them off the street… getting them in a better condition... it also improves the condition of our neighborhood and helps our small businesses,” said Fletcher.
Daniel says that sounds great, but from what he's seen firsthand, he's skeptical it will work.
“These aren't people that, in my opinion, want housing and get off the street,” he said. “These are people that are taking over the streets and they're doing the crimes and the shoplifting and the drugs in plain sight.”
The Salvation Army sent CBS 8 a statement saying:
"We are determined to finding solutions to the complex issue of homelessness, including working with city & county leaders. And we are 100% committed to being good neighbors in our various local communities."
Rolando Village is represented by City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, who issued CBS 8 a statement saying:
"Our office is working with City Departments to prevent the dumping of items in this area and make it safer for residents."
And that's all Daniel wants, to feel safe walking down the street.
“It is a great neighborhood, and we just want it back.”
WATCH RELATED: San Diego City Council propose homeless conservatorship task force (May 2022)