SAN DIEGO – A designated safe parking site for individuals experiencing homelessness is set to open in East County in August, San Diego County representatives said Friday.

The site in El Cajon, located off North Magnolia Avenue just near Interstate 8 west, will offer a safe place to park for those who are living in their car, without the risk of being ticketed, towed or losing their vehicle completely, according to a video posted by the San Diego County Communications Center.

The project is driven by multiple agencies in the area including San Diego County’s Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities, Crisis House, The Alpha Project and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Previously, many homeless in the area had gathered in the reformed freeway underpass area, which became a commonly complained about issue among East County residents.

“Before, you know, it was overrun with encampments, tents, garbage, all kinds of activity that was going on. Since then, the area has been completely cleared out,” said Teresa Smith, CEO of Dreams For Change, an organization that creates safe parking sites.

A spokesperson for San Diego County said Friday that everyone who was living in the space before the cleanup was offered housing vouchers and other resources in place to support those experiencing homelessness.

Representatives for San Diego County say that the “need is exploding” for spaces like the newly created one in El Cajon and that other trial runs similar to the East County site have been successful and that hopes are high for this one, as well.

“Safe Park is a very unique, cost-effective way to assist these types of individuals to access those resources and to really move from their car to housing without actually ending up on the street,” one county spokesperson said.

The site will officially open to those in need on Wednesday, Aug. 10.