Cleanup Measures at Spring Valley Albertson's Helps Reduce Crime, Transient ...
Homeless loitering at the Albertson's supermarket at 543 Sweetwater Rd. in Spring Valley has long been a problem for many customers and retailers in the shopping plaza. Groups of transients frequently gathered in the plaza, discouraging customer activity. Additionally, problems with alcohol theft from the supermarket was one of the main areas of concern for local law enforcement.
But thanks to a collaborative community effort, the retail shopping center is getting a facelift, and criminal activity has drastically decreased in the recent months.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department, along with the Institute for Public Strategies (IPS) and several community groups have been working for more than a year to help cleanup the site and make it safer.
Recently, new exterior lighting was put up in the parking lot, making it safer at night, and the parking lot was paved and painted giving it a cleaner look. Trash pickup efforts and additional landscaping efforts have also improved the look of the plaza.