RV Homelessness Is On The Rise In California, And 'Vanlords' Are Cashing In

The Rise of RV Living as Housing in the Bay Area

Key Concepts: RV homelessness, Safe Parking Sites, Vanlording, Housing Crisis, Tenant Rights, Transitional Housing, Silicon Valley Homelessness.

Housing Crisis & the Surge in RV Living

The video details the escalating crisis of homelessness in Santa Clara County and the broader Bay Area, California, specifically focusing on the increasing number of individuals and families living in Recreational Vehicles (RVs). The region, home to major tech companies like Apple and Google, faces a severe housing shortage – estimated at up to 3.5 million units statewide – coupled with a low inventory of shelter spaces. This combination makes California a state where individuals are statistically more likely to experience homelessness, and more likely to be unsheltered. County data reveals a significant increase in vehicle residency among the homeless population, more than doubling from 18% in 2019 to 37% in 2025. This isn’t driven by lifestyle choices (“van lifers”) but by necessity, as a desperate measure to secure shelter.

Berryessa Safe Parking Site: A Model for Support

Victoria Garibaldi, the manager of the Berryessa Safe Parking site in San Jose, emphasizes her personal understanding of homelessness, having experienced it herself. The site, which opened a year prior to the video, currently houses 86 RVs and operates with a full waitlist, making it one of the largest of its kind in California. It provides residents with free parking, access to essential services like showers, restrooms, laundry facilities, and meals, as well as a community garden and dog park. Residents meet weekly with caseworkers to facilitate their transition into permanent housing, though there is no fixed timeline for departure. The site is funded by a city grant and operated by the non-profit We Hope. Salena Alvarez, a resident, highlights the positive aspects of the site, stating, “They give us, they provide dinner, they provide breakfast…plus the community garden.”

The Exploitative Practice of “Vanlording”

The video exposes a concerning trend: the emergence of an “underground market” of “vanlords” who rent out RVs to individuals in need. This practice is often exploitative, lacking tenant protections and allowing landlords to demand high rents (examples cited include $500-$600 per month) or threaten eviction without legal recourse. Advocates and lawmakers are concerned about this arrangement. Garibaldi prioritizes assisting individuals in vanlording situations, recognizing the vulnerability of losing their only shelter. CNBC interviewed vanlords and renters (though none on camera due to the sensitive and sometimes illegal nature of the practice), observing varying conditions of the RVs.

Legal Responses & Neighborhood Pushback

San Jose has enacted legislation to combat vanlording, prohibiting the rental of RVs as housing on city streets. However, the video points out the disparity in protections: renters in apartments have established rights, while RV renters do not. There is also noted resistance from neighborhoods where RV communities establish themselves.

San Francisco’s Approach: Restrictions & Outreach

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has implemented two-hour parking restrictions for large vehicles citywide, aiming to address issues of public utility usage and debris accumulation associated with RV encampments. The city is also offering subsidized housing and permits to RV dwellers actively seeking placement. Lurie states, “It’s unfair to the general community to have these large vehicles that become very large, homeless encampments in certain spaces.”

The Cost of RV Parking & the Working Class

The video highlights the increasing cost of RV parking, even in designated parks. Candlestick RV Park in San Francisco now charges $2,500 per month for a parking spot, comparable to rent for some Bay Area apartments. This park primarily houses working-class individuals – dock workers, janitors, and day laborers – who are employed but unable to afford traditional housing. The cost does not include the RV itself.

Different Profiles of RV Residents

The video differentiates between two primary groups of RV residents: those who view it as a last resort due to financial hardship and those who consider the RV their permanent home and simply seek a safe and legal place to park. The latter group underscores the need for well-managed and maintained RV parks as a viable housing option for low-income residents. Frank, a resident, expresses gratitude for the stability offered by places like Berryessa.

Concluding Remarks & Systemic Issues

The video concludes by emphasizing that RVs are currently serving as a temporary solution to a larger systemic problem. As stated by a resident, “We’re all just a couple paychecks away from being on the streets ourselves.” The speaker emphasizes that homelessness is a “systematic problem” in Silicon Valley and that a sufficient supply of transitional and interim housing is unlikely to be available in the near future.

Technical Terms:

• Safe Parking Site: A designated location where individuals living in vehicles can park legally and access supportive services.
• Vanlording: The practice of renting out RVs or vans as housing, often under exploitative conditions.
• Transitional Housing: Temporary housing designed to help individuals develop the skills and resources needed to move into permanent housing.
• Interim Housing: Short-term housing solutions that provide immediate shelter while individuals await access to more permanent options.
• Unsheltered Homelessness: Homelessness where individuals lack access to emergency shelter or transitional housing.