Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says residents will soon see more RV camps cleared and better conditions for people with housing problems. The announcement comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that allows more than two dozen parcels of land next to Los Angeles freeways to be used to house towed RVs, provide meals for the homeless, and provide temporary housing.
New LA Bill: Solving Towed RV Problem With 25 Caltrans Lots
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rick Chavez Zbur, who represents areas such as Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills, would give Los Angeles the ability to use 25 Caltrans parcels located under or near highways for a nominal fee of $1 a month.
The legislation, backed by Bass, aims to solve a long-standing logistical problem that has plagued city leaders: where to place towed RVs. “Los Angeles residents will see improvements in the form of more cleared RV campsites,” Bass’s spokeswoman, Clara Karger, said in an email.
But that could take some time. Currently, only one of the 64 properties known as California Department of Transportation airspace is available for use. “When offers for additional properties become available, Caltrans will contact the City,” agency spokesman Matt Rocco said in an email.
Los Angeles Struggles With Camper Space Shortage
For years, cities have struggled with a shortage of storage space for the large campers that now line streets from Van Nuys to South Los Angeles. Even when tow trucks are ready to go, there are often no municipal lots to accommodate the vehicles. Some are required by law to remain in storage for up to 120 days before being scrapped, seized, or auctioned.
According to a legislative analysis, the city has only 325 RV spots, and 95% of them will be taken by early 2024. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who spearheaded the RV housing program in her San Fernando Valley district, said the bill won’t solve every problem, but it will help address “one of the biggest barriers to getting RVs off the streets more quickly.”
During the pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people living in old camper vans parked in residential areas and industrial areas. The influx has angered many locals, who complain of unsightly tarps, trash, unauthorized sewage, and increased crime, despite the camps providing vital shelter for thousands of people. Unlike tent camps, which can be easily removed, camper vans pose significant logistical challenges.
Bass pushed the bill with the hope that it would expand her Inside Safe initiative beyond tent encampments. In December, more than 50 RV sites along Forest Lawn Drive were cleared, with about 31 residents agreeing to be housed and 20 RVs being turned over to the city. “RV campgrounds present a host of tactical and logistical challenges that require legislative and regulatory intervention,” Bass said in announcing the bill’s passage. “This bill will help us get RVs out of neighborhoods and provide more Angelenos with housing in a faster, more cost-effective way.”