Denver Suburb Bans RVs From Parking on Streets Citywide

Lakewood is taking an aggressive approach to homeless people sleeping in cars on public streets.

1 minute read

September 28, 2019, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Homeless Living in RVs

Michael Vi / Shutterstock

"Lakewood City Council unanimously passed a measure this week barring people from parking RVs or travel trailers on public streets anywhere in Lakewood, a restriction that had previously applied only to residential areas," reports John Aguilar.

The city was responding to the recent appearance of RVs parked on streets "amongst a collection of federal offices, Jefferson County School District buildings, and the headquarters of Christy Sports…" The city has received multiple complaints about the presence of the vehicles on streets.

According to Aguilar, the decision reconfigures the latest front in the Denver region's homeless crisis, as documented in an article published earlier in September.

Homeless advocacy organization Family Tree is organizing an effort to help the people living in RVs in Lakewood to relocate. "But Family Tree CEO Scott] Shields acknowledged the task will not be easy given the lack of available affordable housing in and around Denver."

Lakewood recently attracted national planning news for a debate about the environmental effects of the city's recently approved cap on new housing.

Friday, September 27, 2019 in The Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 18, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Two people walking away from camera through pedestrian plaza in street in Richmond, Virginia with purple and white city bus moving in background.

Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA

The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.

June 17, 2025 - WRIC

Rendering of proposed 38-story tower in downtown Portland, Maine.

Downtown Portland Ready for Maine's Tallest Building

The city of Portland anticipates a major new urban development addition called the “Old Port Square” project.  

1 hour ago - News Center Maine

Map of EV charging ports in rural U.S. communities.

The EV “Charging Divide” Plaguing Rural America

With “the deck stacked” against rural areas, will the great electric American road trip ever be a reality?

June 20 - The Daily Yonder

Google street view of Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn with pedestrians crossing a crosswalk and cyclist in the bike lane.

Judge Halts Brooklyn Bike Lane Removal

Lawyers must prove the city was not acting “arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally” in ordering the hasty removal.

June 20 - StreetsBlog NYC