Hidden Homeless in San Diego
Hidden deep within the San Diego River, lies hundreds of homeless individuals, completely secluded from the bustling society that lies around it. This past week I have had the privilege to follow local outreach teams into the San Diego river, and I was surprised not only by the fact that there were homeless individuals living there, but also by the sheer quantity. Come with me as we discover the secret societies of San Diego, hidden right under our own eyes.
This was the view of the San Diego River. Around us at this time were a few encampments.
The San Diego River flows through the Mission Valley Preserve and goes between the 8 freeway and Fashion Valley Mall. This area is preserved for some endangered bird, as I have been told, and thus cannot be build upon nor developed, apart from the multiple bridges going over it. We started at the eastern part of the river just of off the 5 freeway that intersects the 8, and began along the bike train that takes riders throughout the Mission Valley Preserve to a baseball field.
Almost immediately, we came upon a Lady and Gentleman who had both appeared to stay the night. The outreach team I was with asked them if they needed any help, provided a care packet, and went further into the preserve. This is when things got interesting. We then veered off the main trail, something my history in Boy Scouts taught me not to do, and made our way through multiple tall bushes, until eventually we found another encampment, entirely surrounded by these tall bushes, and completely enclosed.
As we made our way around the rest of the river, we encountered a few more encampments, all well hidden to veer off hikers in the area, and made our way back to the 8 freeway.
What surprised me the most was the sheer amount of people hidden in the bushes here. The Outreach Team I was with had been taking a demographic survey, and had estimated there to be 300+ people in the region! They even informed me that a large encampment under the freeway had recently been broken us, thus making this number potentially larger in the past. This comes to say that a lot of the homeless in San Diego are forced to live in these secluded regions, away from all resources, when shelters, and outside help falls short.
To finish out this weeks blog post, I would yet again like to thank the Outreach Team I followed, as this experience truly opened my eyes to all of the hidden individuals who have been living secluded lives quite literally underneath San Diego’s communities and society. This is an experience I will never forget.