SACRAMENTO, CA — Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) has announced that he has introduced a bill, sponsored by Mayor Karen Bass, designed to help the City of Los Angeles (the City) and other governmental agencies implement housing strategies for people experiencing homelessness who are residing in recreational vehicles. The Los Angeles Recreational Vehicle Lot Program streamlines the City's ability to lease property from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) at a reduced rate to store recreational vehicles (RVs) while their former inhabitants receive services to transition into temporary and permanent housing.
The most recent Point-in-Time Count data from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) showed that nearly 6,500 people experiencing homelessness in the City of Los Angeles are living in about 4,000 RVs. That number, which has grown by 40% since 2018, represents 22% of the City's total unsheltered homeless population, leading to a number of large encampments on city streets.
Shortly after assuming office, City of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass - the sponsor of AB 2525 - launched her signature program, "Inside Safe," to bring people experiencing homelessness indoors. To date, the program has brought more than 2,100 Angelenos inside, including RV dwellers. However, the City's RV storage lots are 95% full. In order to get more people into housing and continue this successful program, the City of Los Angeles needs additional locations to store the RVs taken off the streets. Currently, Caltrans can lease property to the City for emergency shelter or feeding services at a rate of $1 per month. AB 2525 allows Caltrans to include the storage of recreational vehicles as a third option for which it can lease property at the same low rate.
"Many candidates for services like transitional housing have RVs that have served as their only shelter after becoming homeless," said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur. "This bill will free up space under freeways and other areas – which often otherwise go unused – to provide crucial storage for these RVs so that people can move into housing and receive critical services to relieve homelessness. Mayor Bass and the Inside Safe program have done an exemplary job at getting people housed, and the City of Los Angeles needs more RV storage space to continue that success."
"In order to successfully confront the homelessness crisis, we need a unique approach to address RV encampments," said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. "AB 2525 will help play an important role in that effort. Thank you to Assemblymember Zbur for your leadership and partnership in our efforts to tackle this crisis."
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur serves as the Democratic Caucus Chair for the California State Assembly and represents the 51st Assembly District, which includes Universal City, Hollywood, Hancock Park, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and other portions of Los Angeles.
CONTACT: Vienna Montague, (916) 319-2051, Vienna.Montague@asm.ca.gov