The City’s proposed Barracks H site will situate a homeless encampment right next to the runway at San Diego International Airport, within the 75 CNEL noise boundary where housing is prohibited by zoning laws. This is a plan steeped in insensitivity and disregard.

Barracks H, adjacent to the busiest single-runway in the United States, subjects its inhabitants to an onslaught of deafening jet noise and toxic, carcinogenic exhaust fumes. It’s not just a poor choice for tent housing; it’s an outright dangerous one.

Compounding the problem, the chosen site has a history as a dumpsite used by the Navy, contaminated with hazardous substances like lead and asbestos. To consider housing people, especially in tents, in such an environment is not only inappropriate but also reckless.

The City’s new camping ban corners the unhoused into an impossible dilemma: seek shelter in this unsuitable and hazardous location or face criminal punishment. It’s a cruel choice, forcing our homeless neighbors into a life battered by relentless, ear-splitting noise from the nearby runway.

Let’s not forget, many in our homeless community are battling mental health issues, PTSD, and drug addiction. Placing them in such a high-stress, noisy environment is not just thoughtless—it’s an act of cruelty that could worsen their struggles significantly.

We must see this plan for what it truly is – not a gesture of compassion, but an act of cruelty. It’s a plan that fails the homeless, disrupts the airport’s functioning, and shows a blatant disregard for the well-being of our local community.

We must stand united and relentless in our fight to relocate this proposed encampment to a more suitable and humane location. Our engagement and action are crucial in this battle against such a deeply flawed and inhumane proposal.