When Phuong Hyunh arrived outside her salon in Little Italy, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The front window of Bella Paris Nails and Spa was splattered with white paint and the glass was shattered by a rock.
Hyunh, who has owned the salon for seven years, said she’s had plenty of problems but none like the ones she’s seen leading up to this act of vandalism.
“Small businesses can’t afford these kinds of costs,” said Kevin Arnold, who lives in Little Italy and is president of the San Diego Neighborhood Coalition.
Arnold said the coalition is working with business owners to demand the city of San Diego do more to protect them from homelessness and the crime that often accompanies it.
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“We think the mayor needs to do more," Arnold said. "We think the mayor needs to come up with a plan — just not a plan to move them from this side of town to the other side of town. They need to have a plan from bottom to top to say, Once we get these people, here’s what we’re gonna do: We’re gonna put them in a safe sleeping site, we’re gonna give them counseling. From there, we’re gonna move them into some kind of living arrangement where they can live."
Arnold said the coalition wants to see crime taken more seriously. He said he wants to see even small-time criminals prosecuted and that his group will pressure the city Attorney to do just that.
“We’re gonna start to prosecute these people," Arnold said. "We understand they’re homeless, but if they commit a crime, they’re gonna be prosecuted, and they’re gonna be held accountable.”
A look at SDPD's new crime dashboard shows a total of 437 offenses last year in Little Italy, including 129 stolen vehicles, 49 reports of simple assault and 42 incidents of vandalism or destruction of property.
For her part, Hyunh told NBC 7 that homeless people camp outside her door every night, leaving behind the smell of urine and the filth of fecal matter. When NBC 7 arrived Monday morning, the entry to her shop was wet after the human waste was washed away with a hose.
“All stinky, so every morning we have to clean this everyday, everyday,” Hyunh said.
The conditions are so bad, she claims, some of her customers are afraid to come to her store. Other business owners say they plan to move out of the area.
The incident was bad for business, not to mention that the price tag to replace the shattered glass, which is estimated to be around $1,000. A lot of nails will have to be polished to pay that bill.
Hyunh doesn’t know who is responsible for the vandalism, but she has reported it to San Diego Police and is hoping security video from surrounding buildings will help lead to an arrest.
The San Diego Neighborhood Coalition has held several meetings to discuss crime in Little Italy. Arnold said the next meeting will be attended by Councilman Stephen Whitburn, who represents the area.
