Cops are cracking down on RV dwellers in San Diego.
The number of tickets handed out under the city’s oversized vehicle ordinance has more than doubled since a crackdown on RV living started in July, data shared with Voice of San Diego reveals.
Cops had largely stopped enforcing the oversized vehicle ordinance for years, officials said, because of a complaint brought by people living out of their cars that was tied up in court. But finally last year, a settlement agreement paved the way for renewed enforcement. (Police did issue some oversized vehicle tickets prior to the settlement, but officials said the majority were related to oversized vehicles being parked too close to intersections, a provision not covered by the settlement.)
During the first month of renewed enforcement in July, San Diego police handed out over 200 citations. That number jumped to almost 700 citations in January. Over the course of seven months, police have handed out more than 3,000 citations.
“When [oversized vehicle] enforcement was just beginning there was a natural learning curve as officers interacted and educated members of the public,” wrote Captain Steve Shebloski of SDPD’s Neighborhood Policing Division in an email.
He said although the beach and bay areas are the most impacted when it comes to complaints about illegal parking, the ordinance is also enforced in other areas of the city based on complaints.
The ordinance states that any vehicle longer than 27 feet and taller than 7 feet is not allowed to park on city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
Back in 2017, a group of people living out of their cars and RVs sued the city in federal court, saying the law was unconstitutional. The agreement last year stipulated that the city needed to open a safe parking lot for people to go, before cops started handing out tickets.
Once the safe parking lot, H Barracks, opened near the airport, cops began enforcing restrictions on vehicle dwellers. But backlash from attorneys who represent people living in their cars was swift.
They filed a legal motion against the city saying the lot is not “reasonably available.” They said the distance to the lot makes it difficult for some people living on fixed incomes to go back and forth every day. H Barracks is only open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
City officials clapped back and said it is “reasonably available.” Now a judge must decide whether the city is complying.
In the meantime, cops are clearly enforcing the ordinance.
They say they don’t just ticket homeless people, but also people who are living out of their cars part time and by choice to have access to the city’s waves and beaches.
In beach areas like Mission Bay, lots are closed from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. and people parking there overnight – whether in an RV or other type of vehicle – can also be cited.
Shebloski said people found in violation of the ordinance are offered an opportunity to go to H Barracks and given information about the city’s safe parking program.
If the individual accepts, they are not issued a ticket.
“As with [oversized vehicles] or any other type of enforcement of traffic or parking violations, officers are encouraged to weigh the totality of the circumstances and use good judgement on deciding when to issue a citation or to give a warning,” said Shebloski.
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