Redwood City approves $1.7M RV parking program

Following a unanimous council decision Monday night, up to 110 RV owners will have the opportunity to participate in a permit program granting RVs permission to park within city lines. Beginning late September or early October, 30 to 50 program participants will have access to off-road stalls located at 1402 Maple St. Families, the elderly and those with disabilities will receive priority for accessing the lot overnight and overflow vehicles would receive overnight parking permits. 

Under the program, all RVs within the city would return to the streets during the day due to California law prohibiting 24-hour parking of recreational vehicles. Legislation is being developed between the city legislative team and assemblymen Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, and Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto.

“This is a challenge. This is difficult. This is huge. This is bigger than Redwood City but I’d like to see how Redwood City could be a leader in addressing this issue and how we can move forward with this,” said Councilwoman Alicia Aguirre. 

Participants of the program would be required to work with caseworkers through nonprofit LifeMoves to find permanent housing such as an apartment, single room or RV park. As program participants from within the lot find housing, stalls will continue to be filled. 

Speaking as an RV dweller of several years, Will Broset praised the council for developing a rehousing program but raised concerns for where RVs would be parked during the day, an issue expressed by business owners and local residents. 

“I don’t see a solution for where the RVs go during the day and I don’t see a solution for where the 60% that won’t get into the parking lot overnight park at any time and that’s a serious concern because it’s just going to lead to more problems,” said Broset, who also expressed appreciation for the “compassion” of speakers but noted RV dwellers are “accumulating a ton of stuff on the streets and it’s really not workable for anybody.”

Despite receiving community support for the program, speakers expressed concern for a parking ordinance change which would ban RVs from being parked on streets from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. which will take effect Oct. 14. Councilwoman Janet Borgen, who voiced excitement for the program, also expressed concern for levying fines on those already financially burdened. 

“I do want to be careful when we start talking about fines and citations. I do agree that homeless people don’t have the money and that even makes things worse … because fines and citations are very punitive and it just puts someone who doesn’t have any money even deeper,” said Borgens who suggested the city think of an alternative to fines. 

Though nonpermitted RVs could be ticketed or towed for violating the ordinance amendment, Human Services Manager Teri Chin noted that punishment is not the intent of the program. During a late-May community meeting, Chin noted vehicle owners would have to relocate outside the city to avoid potential repercussions for illegally parking. 

Similarly, residents who prefer RV living and are uninterested in permanent housing would not qualify for the proposed plan and would face the same challenge. Those sleeping in their vehicles though will now be permitted to do so following the ordinance amendment approval. 

“We want nothing more than for our residents to be housed in permanent housing but that is incredibly challenging and not nearly as simple as people may think it is. This was a very difficult issue to tackle,” said Councilman Ian Bain. “I think this is a solid set of recommendations we should try and that’s all we can do right now, to try things because no city has found the solution to these issues.”

Additional concerns were also raised for the duration of the program with speakers calling for the council to implement a more permanent housing assistance for residents needing housing support. The council noted the program is linked to the city’s two-year budget cycle and may potentially be continued following an assessment of its success and need. 

“Even though it’s a two-year … pilot it doesn’t mean it’s going to end in two years. It means we’re going to see what we’re doing. Is it good, is it better, what can we do to improve it, and what can we do in the long term because this is important to all of us on the council to address,” said Aguirre. “These are folks who are working or living in our city and they are entitled to all of our respect and all the work we can do to move this forward.”

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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