San Diego, Fiesta Island Now a Homeless, RV Haven

[cyndi]

"A new law banning oversized vehicles from parking overnight on city streets might have fueled the creation of an unauthorized campground in Mission Bay. People who live in cars and recreational vehicles have increasingly settled on Fiesta Island. Now the city’s stepping up enforcement..."

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/nonprofits/fiesta-island-becomes-a-homeless-rv-haven/

 

[AngryVanMan]

Some of the comments on these articles makes me think some tech billionaire is toiling away in their Mountain View mansion trying to work out how to get away with starting a combo Soylent Green factory & long term RV parking venture.

 

[TrainChaser]

I see two problems here (the same as with most similar places):

1. Governments (any level) seem incapable of actually dealing with their problems, no matter what the problems are. They haven't been able to figure out that you can't just make a law against something and expect it to solve all of the problems. Yes, they can enforce the laws and force the people to leave, at which time they become someone else's problem. This is not 'solving' the problem.

2. No matter where people park their rigs, unless the rules are enforced it's going to become a pig sty.

City govts are not capable of facing the fact that they're not going to eliminate people living in their RVs, vans, trucks, cars or tents.

Why not provide a spot where people CAN park their rigs, provide some basic rules, and then provide some enforcement? NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FREE. Nothing else is free in the operation of a city, so why would anyone think this would be??? They pay $XXX number of dollars to prevent the cost from multiplying to $XXX,XXX dollars. Is that so difficult to understand? Apparently, it is.

When each person moves in, give them a list of basic rules. If they don't obey the rules and/or start trouble, evict them.

Have a guard at the entrance to prevent people from bringing in the old mattresses, torn couches, and bags of garbage for dumping.

Run it like a very basic RV park, and ENFORCE it. When people know you mean business, they will usually obey, or leave. Isn't this what the LTVA (Long-term Vehicle Access) areas do?

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

It's such a slippery slope in these areas where there is no good solution. Lots of people that live in their vehicles aren't good neighbors as much as it pains me to say it. A few bad apples in a large bunch is all it takes to ruin an area. Then places like Pacific Beach where it costs a small fortune to live there, residents paying taxes and an insane amount for their home don't like the idea of people sneaking by, living on the water and paying nothing.

We have a friend that lives in Pacific Beach and paid 720k for a small Bungalow back at the height of the market. I think her real estate taxes are 12k a year. That's $1000 a month before she even pays the mortgage! She's actually sympathetic to the homeless issues and is running into problems of her own, as other residents are now complaining about people that rent their homes out on Air B & B which she does to help pay the mortgage. Most residents in these areas don't want this in their neighborhood, and they are the one's who pay the taxes and thus the salary of everyone working for city hall, so they are the ones that will ultimately get their way.

What's the right way, wrong way, that I do not know, but as this lifestyle continues to pick up momentum cities and towns aren't going to be able to ignore it forever.

 

[MrNoodly]

All the cities want to do is chase homeless people into some other jurisdiction.

 

[rvpopeye]

Once they chase you away the problem ceases to exist . Sort of a stick your head in the sand approach. Pure genius.

 

[jimindenver]

Even out here on the outskirts of town they want them to move along if the area becomes too popular. With lots of construction there is always deserted streets, parking lots and industrial areas that you would think matter to no one. The thing is one day I'll see a dweller in a area, a few days later it's two and pretty soon it's camp GVR again. That was a street not far from here that had 20 parking spots on it and it got to the point that they not only filled them but were parking on the side of another street intersecting. It was always full day or night until it got cold. The first time everyone left they went in, roped off the spots and put up signs. Last week I saw a RV a block north of those spots, a day later there was two.

So I can see a good over night spot being a guarded secret like a good boondocking spot is to others. It just doesn't last long after the word gets out.

 

[DannyB1954]

Not in my neighborhood is nothing new. Many people want to control their environment. People don't have a problem with HOA's, (Home owner associations). They want everybody else to be just like themselves.

 

[TrainChaser]

"They want everybody else to be just like themselves."

Whenever I hear 'HMO', I think 'Stepford Wives'. ICK!

 

[Svenn]

Why not provide a spot where people CAN park their rigs, provide some basic rules, and then provide some enforcement?  NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FREE.  Nothing else is free in the operation of a city, so why would anyone think this would be???  They pay $XXX number of dollars to prevent the cost from multiplying to $XXX,XXX dollars.  Is that so difficult to understand?  Apparently, it is.

When each person moves in, give them a list of basic rules.  If they don't obey the rules and/or start trouble, evict them.

A pragmatic, constructive solution that requires foresight and economy to implement? HA! good luck getting government to do that. 

Americans, especially government, are really bad at minimalism and simple, just-sufficient solutions.  Your idea of a no-frills, basically regulated parking lot is great, but we all know that that most people will start demanding that it have water, power, lounge areas, safety standards, board meetings etc. 

All most of us vandwellers really need in urban areas is the run-of-the-mill secure parking lot that is additionally ok with overnighters.  That means no objects whatsoever around the perimeter of one's vehicle, basically all the rules of stealth.  I think that would get rid of the majority of the bad apples and riff raff.

 

[AngryVanMan]

Some cities have secured/patrolled lots for truckers /trailer drop off that RV'ers can use, I remember seeing a YouTuber use one of these to stay in town for a concert or something, might have been Gone with the Wynns. Seems like a pragmatic solution that would require no local government intervention.

Realistically with patrols, a dump station, water point, and length of stay limits, a re-imagining of the traditional parking garage model for RV or long term residential use would work as a low cost alternative to skyrocketing rent. In fact, a retrofit of existing parking garage/parking lot infrastructure to allow overnight parking for this purpose would be an extra revenue stream for that industry if it's done right. Overnighters could/would have to move out in the AM for commuter parking. Overall more efficient use of the infrastructure and real estate.

 

[Canine]

TC,there are already places like you want.They're called rv parks.The problem is that there's always somebody who wants to live on somebody else's dime.People who contribute nothing to society except problems,but want the taxpayers to provide for their needs.On another note,that guy is a dead ringer for LBJ.

 

[Wanderer]

I still get confused with the thinking that California is the place to go....With nearly 40 million I'd really be looking for something less crowed and thus, stay under the radar... But then I am good with the cooler weather and even like snow...(3-9" max)

I also noticed they mention moving from one place to another daily...Well, gas is cheap right now, when it gets up that's when it hurts to move.

Over in Portland, OR they just moved a LOT of people from a area who had RV's and other vehicles. At the same time, they also got rid of the transients from the Spring Water Trail. So it's been a busy month for the cops.....