San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has signed new legislation aimed at addressing the issue of RV homelessness in the city, enforcing a ban on parking RVs on city streets for more than two hours.
Standing amidst representatives from various city departments, including the San Francisco Police Department and the Municipal Transportation Agency, Lurie emphasized the compassionate intent behind the ban.
‘RV homelessness isolates families and it leaves them behind. We cannot accept that,’ Lurie stated during a press conference following the signing.
The legislation received approval from the Board of Supervisors with a 9 to 2 vote last week and includes the provision of a refuge permit that allows RV residents six additional months to park on city streets legally.
Aside from the permit, the bill proposes measures aimed at encouraging RV dwellers to transition out of their vehicles. Key initiatives include a buy-back program for RVs, nearly 800 housing subsidies specifically for those living in their vehicles, and outreach programs that offer case management for families and individuals.
Critics of the bill, however, remain concerned about the adequacy of these housing subsidies, especially in light of the 2024 Point in Time survey, which documented 1,442 vehicularly homeless individuals in San Francisco.
The funding for these housing subsidies will be sourced from Proposition C, a tax on wealthy businesses approved in 2018 to support homelessness and housing initiatives.
District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who co-sponsored the legislation, stressed the importance of providing support for families living on the streets.
‘Being on the street exposes families to harm,’ she said. ‘We must meet people where they’re at … this is a path to success.’
This legislation is part of Lurie’s broader Breaking the Cycle initiative, which, in its initial form, sought to create nearly 1,000 new shelter beds while simultaneously addressing visible homelessness on the streets.
Lurie remarked, ‘This has long felt like an intractable problem,’ underscoring the necessity of the new measures in preventing long-term RV encampments in San Francisco.
The response from residents living near RVs has also been vocal, according to Melgar, who noted complaints related to pollution, waste, and safety concerns.
Despite the proposed solutions, the plan does not guarantee housing subsidies for over 600 RV dwellers remaining in San Francisco, placing pressure on those who do not qualify for the temporary permit to either sell their vehicle to the city or leave.
Opponents of the bill, many of whom gathered at City Hall, express a reluctance to part with their RVs, valuing the privacy and autonomy they provide, alongside ongoing challenges in securing permanent housing.
‘If you want to stay in your RV,’ concluded Lurie during the press event, ‘you can do so outside of San Francisco.’
image source from：missionlocal
