LA Examiner

Tag: california homelessness

  • RV Crisis in Los Angeles Targeted by New Legislation

    RV Crisis in Los Angeles Targeted by New Legislation

    Image credit: Unsplash

    For generations, California has been seen as the land of opportunity. From a time when California was simply a part of the Wild West to the California gold rush of the 1840s, the Golden State has proven to be a fixture within pop culture, regarded as a land of opportunity and promise. This almost mythic reputation carried over into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries through the rise of film as a medium and strategic positioning of Hollywood as the mecca of all things glitzy, glamorous, and star-studded. 

    As a result of this centuries-old storied legacy, the idea of traveling westward to California in search of fortune and fame is practically ingrained into the minds of most Americans. However, many who make this iconic pilgrimage get there only to realize that making it in California is a bit more difficult than they may have anticipated. This has led to a large homeless population and a plethora of RV encampments serving as people’s homes. 

    Addressing the RV Encampment Crisis

    Now, Mayor Karen Bass is promising Angelenos will see more RV encampments cleared and people housed after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that opens up more than two dozen properties near L.A. freeways to store towed RVs, feed homeless individuals, and provide emergency shelter.

    Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur, who represents Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, and other Westside communities, introduced legislation that gives Los Angeles access to 25 Caltrans parcels under or near freeways for $1 a month. The bill sponsored by Bass aims to solve the logistical problem that has vexed city officials for years—where to store towed R.V.s.

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    Angelenos will “see the difference in more R.V. encampments being cleared,” said Clara Karger, a spokeswoman for Bass, in an emailed statement.

    But it might take a while to see that difference. Currently, only one of the California Department of Transportation’s 64 so-called airspace properties is available. “As other properties become available, Caltrans will contact the city,” Matt Rocco, the agency’s spokesperson, reassured the public.

    Challenges and Solutions for Housing RV Dwellers

    City officials have struggled for years with a shortage of vehicles that can tow the large RV campers that currently house communities from Van Nuys to South Los Angeles. Threatening to tow an RV is one thing, but following through on such a large scale has proven troublesome for LA officials. Even when tow trucks are available, there often isn’t a city yard where these recreational vehicles can be held. Some of these are legally required to be held for up to 120 days before being destroyed, claimed, or auctioned.

    According to a legislative analysis, there are only 325 spaces for RVs in city lots, and as of early 2024, 95% were occupied. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who created a home placement program in her San Fernando Valley District for those living in RVs, said the legislation isn’t a panacea, but it addresses “one of our biggest obstructions to facilitating these RVs getting off the street in a more expedited fashion.”

    As if making a living in California, with the comparatively high cost of living, wasn’t already difficult enough, COVID made things immeasurably harder for everyone. During the pandemic, an explosion of people lived in tattered recreational vehicles parked in neighborhoods and industrial stretches. The influx has raised the ire of many neighbors, who complain about unsightly tarps, trash, raw sewage, and crime, even as the camps are essential housing for thousands of people. While homeless tent camps can be cleared with relative ease, RVs have continued to pose serious problems and logistical issues in the past few years.

    Looking Ahead: A New Approach to Homelessness in Los Angeles

    Fortunately, instead of combating these residents, Los Angeles officials are now looking to help them with the passing of new legislation that can afford them a viable home beyond the walls of their RV. Bass pushed for the bill in hopes that it would help her as she expands her Inside Safe effort beyond tent encampments. In December, more than 50 R.V.s were cleared along Forest Lawn Drive, with roughly 31 dwellers accepting housing and 20 RVs turned over to the city.

    “RV encampments pose a range of tactical and logistical challenges that require legislative and regulatory fixes,” Bass said, announcing its passage. “This bill will help us move RVs out of neighborhoods and bring more Angelenos into housing in a faster and cheaper way.”

  • Dismantling Homeless Encampments: Newsom’s New Order Receives Pushback

    Dismantling Homeless Encampments: Newsom’s New Order Receives Pushback

    Image credit: Unsplash

    Last Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order to state officials instructing them to dismantle homeless encampments, calling on officials across California to “do their part.”

    “This executive order directs state agencies to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them—and provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same. The state has been hard at work in addressing this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”

    Newsom’s order comes shortly after the Supreme Court ruling opened the doorway for cities to clear homeless encampments and ban outdoor sleeping without offering shelter. Despite Newsom’s official instructions, the Supreme Court ruling leaves many of the decisions under the jurisdiction of local cities—which means that the governor cannot force cities to act. 

    Newsom stated, “California remains committed to respecting the dignity and fundamental human needs of all people, and the state will continue to work with compassion to provide individuals experiencing homelessness with the resources they need to better their lives.” However, after the Supreme Court ruling, state officials had opposing viewpoints regarding the impact of Newsom’s new order.

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    L.A. County Supervisors’ Chair Lindsey Horvath called the Grants Pass decision “unconscionable” and ineffective, opting to call for continued efforts to add more shelter and affordable housing for the homeless community. At a news conference hours after the ruling, she said the solution “is not arrest. It is not pushing people from community to community.”

    “I want to be crystal clear,” she added. “The criminalization of homelessness and poverty is dangerous. It does not work, and it will not stand in Los Angeles County.”

    Horvath and Supervisor Hilda Solis have proposed a policy that would not allow L.A. County jails to hold people arrested for violating anti-camping ordinances, especially when many local cities have very small jails and rely largely on county jails.

    Yet, Horvath and Solis were not the only voices raising the alarm on Newsom’s new order. At the same news conference where Horvath voiced her opinion, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called the decision “unfortunate,” believing it “will usher in a new wave of criminalization” elsewhere. Bass slammed the court’s ruling, saying it should “not be used as an excuse for cities across the country to attempt to arrest their way out of this problem or hide the homelessness crisis in neighboring cities or in jail.” 

    “This is a rehash of the 1990s when we couldn’t figure out how to deal with a social problem, like addiction and gang violence, [and] we just decided we were going to lock everybody up,” Bass said at the news conference.

    Despite the heavy opposition to Newsom’s new directive, advocates argue that the new order will encourage cities to “develop housing and shelter solutions in tandem with support services provided by County government. This formula, which is largely based on partnerships, is how we can deliver permanent results. No single entity can achieve that,” as Supervisor Kathryn Barger stated.

    For Orange County homeless encampments, officials have stated they will do what is appropriate for their local communities while remaining compassionate to the homeless population.