While it’s been hard to miss all the headlines about Balboa Park’s new parking fees — fewer restaurant patrons, declining museum visitors, and frustrated business owners — you’ve probably heard a lot less about how this change is affecting Naval Medical Center San Diego, also known as Balboa Medical Center.
It wasn’t until the recent HASD&IC Board meeting, when I heard firsthand how these fees are complicating daily life for Balboa Medical Center’s employees and patients, that I realized just how far-reaching the impacts really are. A series of decisions by the city of San Diego has created a wave of unintended consequences for those adjacent to the park.
A little context: Balboa Medical Center sits within the grounds of Balboa Park. For years, many employees have relied on parking spaces in nearby Balboa Park — it’s close, free, and easy — and simply walked in. That changed overnight.
With the shift to paid parking, employees have been forced back onto the medical center grounds to park, creating long lines at the entrance gate and major backups as more people try to get in. And it doesn’t stop with staff. Patients are getting caught in the same gridlock, sometimes unable to reach the medical center in time for their appointments or just canceling all together to avoid the headache — all because of parking access.
Balboa Medical Center, which has served San Diegans for more than 100 years, is a special place — caring for our military, their families, and even the youngest members of the community. While it may be a naval hospital, nearly a quarter of a million people in San Diego are eligible to receive care there, supported by a combined military and civilian staff of more than 6,000. Their clinicians contribute far beyond the campus itself, supporting hospitals and health systems across the county with their expertise. And when disasters strike, Balboa’s staff always lean in — a testament to their deep commitment to the region they serve.
Given how essential this hospital is to San Diegans, it’s vital to raise awareness of the challenges it’s, so I reached out to city council members to advocate on Balboa Medical Center’s behalf. Our hope is that although this is a complicated issue, it can get resolved quickly so that Balboa Medical Center employees and patients can get back to their normal routines. In the meantime, we’ll keep advocating as necessary for the medical center, as we do for all hospitals in San Diego and Imperial counties, to make sure patients can access the care they need — and employees can be there to provide it.