Some people expressed outrage during a special Lemon Grove City Council meeting Tuesday that was set to discuss a proposal to build dozens of tiny homes for the unhoused people in their community.
Dressed in red and hoisting signs of protest, some residents at the meeting voiced their opposition, at times heckling city and county leaders who were discussing the county's plan to put an estimated 60-unit tiny home development near Troy Street and Sweetwater Road. The property is owned by Caltrans, which manages statewide freeways.
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WATCH HEREThe San Diego County Board of Supervisors scrapped a similar project in neighboring Spring Valley in July following protests.
Now that the project has been resurrected in Lemon Grove, residents are hoping their opposition will put an end to the project that they say lacks transparency, especially when it comes to who will be housed there.
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“First it was families with children, then it was individuals and couples. Now, it’s a low-barrier shelter. Shame on you guys,” said a woman during the public comment.
Some of the loudest outbursts happened when the proposed project's sobriety policies were mentioned. One man walked out in a show, laughing boisterously loud while saying, “No drugs or alcohol? Ha!”
Among the concerns for some residents is the project's proximity to a liquor store and an elementary school.
“We do not want these cabins in Lemon Grove. We the people don't want them in Lemon Grove,” said one woman who spoke during public comment and got applause.
“We have to start somewhere. There is nothing more critical than providing housing to people so they can begin to repair their lives," another woman who spoke in favor of the project said.
The development is estimated to cost $11.1 million to build and $3 million a year to operate as a transitional housing site for unsheltered veterans, seniors and adults.
The county also noted the program excludes people with certain criminal backgrounds like registered sex offenders and those with active felony warrants.
“If sobriety is not required, this doesn't fit here,” said Councilmember Jessica Heredia, citing public safety concerns among the reasons she's opposed to the project.
"What are we going to do to increase sheriff patrols?" she said.
All the protesting could be in vain, though. County leaders say they don't need the city's approval to move forward with the project.
Lemon Grove City Council members say they will consider litigation. They will also consider making suggestions to the county that include reducing the size of the project and ensuring that unsheltered people in Lemon Grove are prioritized.
The county expects to start construction on the project this summer and finish in the summer of 2026.
