Sonoma Co. parking lot for unhoused ordered to close, leaving community in limbo

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- In Sonoma County, a parking lot where many homeless individuals park overnight is closing.

ABC7 News reporter Luz Pena went to the site where the issue is looming over a community that is hoping for a county intervention soon.

For the last eight years, Randy Walker has called his car home.

"It's a little more secure here," Walker said. "My main thing that I have is my solar battery and that gives me power. I can charge my phone."

MORE: Gov. Newsom signs package to boost home building, expand affordable housing

Walker became homeless after his landlord passed away. Three years ago, the parking lot at the Quaker meeting house of Santa Rosa became the refuge he and others yearned for.

"This is like home. Our bedroom is that parking lot. There are six to seven of us there, and we are all in our senior years. Sixty and above," Walker said.

The rule is they can sleep in the lot overnight, but at 8 a.m. they have to leave. We met Walker at a nearby park, where he is counting down the days until the safe parking lot closes for good.

"Monday night is our last night, and it's just a few days away, and I haven't been able to find anything. People in the parking lot, we all got together and try to help each other out," Walker said.

MORE: New San Francisco proposal aims to ban RVs on city-managed streets overnight

The Redwood Forest Friends group runs the parking lot. A month ago, it got a message from its insurance company, threatening to cancel its coverage if it continued to offer the site as a safe parking lot.

"They put it up for reevaluation. We went ahead and sent our premium to make sure that we don't lose our insurance, and they said that they didn't reconsider. So, we are looking at other insurance companies," said John Cantu, resident friend.

The Quaker's meeting house installed a portable bathroom and had plans to add a shower. It's a plan that may not happen now.

Sonoma County is facing a homeless crisis with over 5,500 unhoused individuals an increase of 20% from 2023. Thirteen percent of those individuals are living in their vehicles.

MORE: San Rafael unhoused man suing city to fight eviction from library property

"We have very few places for them to go so the loss of any kind of safe parking, even just a handful of spots, is really catastrophic for the folks who are currently living out of their vehicles," said Lynda Hopkins, Sonoma County supervisor.

Hopkins said recently they were close to securing safe parking at a different location, but it fell through.

"Even though we have made efforts in county government to move forward with safe parking solutions, it is not enough," Hopkins said.

The group behind the site is staying hopeful.

"We have not given up," Cantu said.