SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The pandemic pushed some people out of their homes and into other forms of alternative housing, like RVs.
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As this type of living becomes more permanent for some, one San Francisco community is advocating for a safe place to park their RVs
People living in cars and RVs near San Francisco's Lake Merced could be getting closer to having a city-run safe parking site.
Many of the community's residents found that they couldn't afford to pay the thousands of dollars a month typical for San Francisco rents.
"My RV costs much less than that for a month and jobs don't pay that much," said one such resident, Zach.
His story is similar to many others.
"For example, I was talking with one family this week, they ended up out there because they were living in a studio in the Mission that was torn down to redevelop into condos," said Carlos Wadkins, an organizer with the Coalition on Homelessness. "When it was torn down they couldn't find anywhere else they could afford so they moved into an RV."
Wadkins has been helping facilitate the community's conversations with city officials about establishing a safe area for them to park, as well as having services like water and electricity – away from the cars that speed on the roads near the lake.
San Francisco Supervisor Myrna Melgar has emerged as an ally for the community.
"Luckily, we have the money, because three years ago the voters passed Prop C," she said. "And the oversight committee has set aside funds for a safe parking site on the west side."
Proposition C was passed in 2018, and essentially created a tax n the city’s biggest companies, which would be funneled into funds to help the homeless population.
But there is still a lot of red tape to cut through, according to Melgar.
"But I'm a mom," said Melgar. "So I'm gonna keep at it."
"I think it's doable," she said. "I have no doubt."
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