A controversy over the unpermitted use of RVs for shelter on an otherwise empty lot in West Oakland reveals a confluence of Bay Area housing crises.

"RVs have become a hot-button issue in cities throughout the Bay Area as residents priced out of the traditional housing and rental markets increasingly are moving into homes on wheels," reports Marissa Kendall.
"In Palo Alto, RVs parked next to the Stanford campus get regular tow warnings, prompting them to move down the road and back. Pacifica is fighting a lawsuit after making certain city streets off-limits to RV parking. Richmond attempted to create a sanctioned safe-parking site for RVs, but abandoned the idea last month after community pushback."
The article focuses on the human interests behind a recent effort by the city of Oakland to disband the half-dozen or so people living in RVs on a vacant lot in West Oakland, one of a "very few places in the region where someone can legally park a trailer or RV," according to Kendall. "The bohemian space looks like a cross between a trailer park and a cheerful community garden," writes Kendall. One of the residents of the lot tells Kendall that the owner is renting lot to him for $1,600 a month, including a "lease that lists the official purpose as “storage” for RVs and vehicles," and residents pay $600 a month to keep their RVs there.
The city of Oakland is trying to shut down the lot, reports Kendall, citing code enforcement as its legal means. Violations include "unapproved use of an RV as a sleeping quarters, storage of vehicles and RVs, and an unpermitted fence and shower." The city has placed a lien on the property and is piling up fines, totaling $5,610 as of Kendall's writing. All of those financial and legal troubles will be waived if the residents on the lot are displaced.
The source article below includes more detail on the city of Oakland's blight laws and homeless policies, as well as the human interest stories that can be found in the lot.
FULL STORY: Oakland: Why the city may shut down this unusual housing solution

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.