RVs to call Maple Street home in Redwood City

Qualified RV owners could potentially call 1405 Maple St. their temporary home. The lot sitting across from the women’s jail would cap capacity at 50 RVs, providing parking to half the 102 RVs officials determined are currently in Redwood City.  

Additionally, all participants of the program would be required to meet with social workers who would try to find permanent housing for RV owners. Priority for lot space would be given to families with children, the elderly and those with disabilities. 

“The goal is basically to take care of our population currently in Redwood City. Additionally we might have 10 additional so we could probably scale up to maybe 110 for permits or medallions. ... But our goal is through attrition to get people into permanent housing to create more spaces for these RVs,” said Assistant City Manager Alex Khojikian. 

Overflow RVs would be granted street parking permits which would require the owner enter a strict contract with the city promising to “have a light footprint” or be cited or towed, said police Lt. Ashley Osborne. The program would also be reserved for Redwood City residents and would accommodate neighboring cities if space were available. 

Councilwoman Giselle Hale, who sits on the ad hoc committee with Councilwoman Diana Reddy, echoed remarks made by concerned citizen Kate Hiester who stressed the importance of a robust solution to the growing housing concerns exacerbated by the current pandemic. 

“The top of the funnel is about to get very large. ... There were assumptions we had when we first started this that perhaps no longer hold true,” said Hale. “Studies show the best way of reducing homelessness is by keeping people in their homes.”

Indirectly related is a modification to an existing ordinance that will also be proposed limiting the window of time an RV may be allowed to park on any street within the city, prohibiting overnight RV parking between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Allowances will be made permitting RV parking only if the vehicle is registered at the address it sits in front of and for a 48-hour timeframe within a seven-day window. 

“We’re trying to take a very even-handed approach. We’re trying to address the hot spots that we’ve had and take some of the burdens off those folks. And we’re trying to create a fair system where individuals who need to use their RVs as housing have options but they have to exercise those options within a framework that benefits the greater community,” said Osborne. 

If the ordinance is adopted, illegally parked RVs could face ticketing or possibly be towed. To avoid such results, Human Services Manager Teri Chin said vehicle owners would have to relocate outside the city. 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.

“We have identified the issue but haven’t worked on it. At this particular stage of the game we’re not prepared as a staff to really try to make sure that those agreements were made. ...With the ordinance those folks would not be eligible for the safe parking registry and then would no longer be able to park in Redwood City,” she said. 

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.

Next steps for the program includes a community outreach meeting Monday, June 1, followed by a City Council study session June 22. A full implementation of the program and enforcement of the new ordinance would begin by late August or early September. 

The city community meeting will be hosted remotely at 6 p.m. Monday, June 1, and will be streamed live at redwoodcity.zoom.us/j/94034275126. Residents can also call in at (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 940 3427 5126.