RV Parking

Report to the July 17, 2007 VNC on RV parking in a coastal city. An agendized announcement by DeDe Audet It has been my privilege to go to Santa Barbara to interview some of the principals involved in a program, New Beginnings, which removed 45 persons from sleeping on the street in vehicles in 2006 and is serving 55 this year. This number will be advanced to 85 persons in the near future. It is a simple program, a factor that its authors emphasize. The program utilizes paved parking lots of churches, non-profits, Santa Barbara city, Santa Barbara county, and industrial lots in the area from Goleta to Carpinteria during the hours of 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM. The goal is to help the individual move from the RV into permanent housing. Fifty to sixty per cent of the population available to the service are senior citizens who can benefit from assistance. At present one caretaker serves the program. The duties of the caretaker include roving the streets for persons sleeping in vehicles (I believe this to be an extremely sensitive aspect), monitoring the lots and vehicles in use each evening to assure good health and habits, and reporting to New Beginnings for followup. Persons in financial difficulties need help to stay in their vehicle, which is encouraged, or to move to other housing. Many of the men, who have had some experience with homeless shelters, are determined to stay independent and have some privacy as long as possible. I actually saw, at about eight thirty in the evening, one neatly dressed individual engaged in preparing his rig for sleeping. With the radio playing softly he moved quietly and efficiently moving objects from the rear of the camper shell on the bed of the pickup to the cab of the truck. According to the rules of RV Safe Parking, his vehicle does not meet the standard required, nor did he have the proper permit showing. But my guess is that he hoped to avoid being caught and to sleep safely among the county vehicles parked there until he could register. The 8-1/2 by 11 bright yellow permits (see appendix) signed by the caretaker are placed to be easily viewed by the caretaker on his rounds. The side of the permit for display shows the exact lot to be used, the time period of use, and the time period of the permit. The standard length of time is three weeks, which may be extended or shortened. The reverse side of the permit contains the rules for participation and the signature of the permittee to show that he or she understands and will comply. Getting people to participate requires skills, aided and abetted by a real desire to help. One factor, easily understood by anyone who has spent time in an RV, is the need to park your vehicle in a safe place. So any means to get the message out there will bring some results. Flyers, placed on windshields, have proved to be helpful. And word of mouth, since RVer