According to the East Bay Times, the City of Oakland is partnering with four local churches to make their parking lots available for overnight parking for people who live in their vehicles. The parking program will "accommodate a total of up to 65 vehicles" who will be able to park securely for 12 hours (from 7:30pm to 7:30am) for three (3) months. The Interfaith Council of Alameda County and the City of Oakland will select participants with priority given to "students and families" for the first 10 spots. Participants are required to be the "registered owners of their vehicles." The churches plan to offer participants comprehensive services of laundry, shower, bathrooms, grooming, job development recruitment, and food donations.
This announcement comes as the number of Oakland's houseless residents visibly increases on all major city streets and locations. The City estimates its homeless population exceeds 5,000 and community groups counter with higher estimates of almost double that figure. The City will expend $50,000.00 to accommodate 65 of those people who are living in cars, selected by the City and Interfaith Council, and who meet the program's criteria.
What is unclear is how the government rationalizes spending $50,000.00 to reach 65 vehicles instead of funding permanent solutions of affordable housing development, market controls on rent, and housing assistance programming. Alameda County operates FairPark RV on its fairgrounds in Pleasanton. FairPark provides mobile home owners with space for RV and a vehicle, water, sewage, power, security, showers, laundry, and internet. The park even includes a nearby RV parts and supply store. This begs the question: why doesn't the County and City place the $50,000.00 grant funding the current band-aid solution instead of putting the money and planning towards permanent housing; or at the least, a permanent fully-equipped mobile home park.
It is further unclear how participants are selected. Given that the program parking hours are already set at 7:30pm to 7:30am, this excludes residents with conflicting work schedules who may need a safe place to park and live outside of the set hours.
It is also clear that the first 10 spots will be prioritized for students, seemingly college students. I question what is the role of the college campuses in ensuring financial aid is available and commensurate with the cost of living, that student employment opportunities abound, and that they partner with the City and County to address the homeless crisis?
What is clear is that the parking program will not include RVs. People living in RVs and cars is also visibly increasing with many grouping up to take over entire streets and sidewalks in efforts to create a safe community and collective effort. This creates great risk to safety, health, and the environment. The City provides no other options. Furthermore, many more will not seek this resource and/or will be denied due to the conduct policy requiring no consumption of drugs and alcohol.
If we look to neighboring cities within Alameda County such as San Leandro, the City has dedicated RV parks that serve its residents. In 2016, to avoid impending rent increases, Oakland non-profit Rebuilding Together committed $150,000.00 which mobile home residents can apply for. At San Leandro's Trailer Haven, mobile residents are given access to power, restrooms, showers, laundry, dumping and disposal, and internet. Trailer Haven is one of nine RV parks and was permitted to lease 160 mobile homes and 34 RV spaces in 2016. Others such as San Leandro Mobile Home & RV Park LP offered discounts on eligible mobile homeowners and the City encouraged even larger discounts for its residents.
This is a glimpse into the results of gentrification and hypercapitalism at work in the housing industry. Many residents can afford to own and maintain their vehicles and do so to commute to and from employment. Despite these traditional markers of stability and class, there simply is not enough affordable (or even reasonable market price) housing available. Thus, residents find themselves in the conundrum of being homeless while gainfully employed (often in multiple jobs) and owning property including a vehicle.
This announcement comes as the number of Oakland's houseless residents visibly increases on all major city streets and locations. The City estimates its homeless population exceeds 5,000 and community groups counter with higher estimates of almost double that figure. The City will expend $50,000.00 to accommodate 65 of those people who are living in cars, selected by the City and Interfaith Council, and who meet the program's criteria.
What is unclear is how the government rationalizes spending $50,000.00 to reach 65 vehicles instead of funding permanent solutions of affordable housing development, market controls on rent, and housing assistance programming. Alameda County operates FairPark RV on its fairgrounds in Pleasanton. FairPark provides mobile home owners with space for RV and a vehicle, water, sewage, power, security, showers, laundry, and internet. The park even includes a nearby RV parts and supply store. This begs the question: why doesn't the County and City place the $50,000.00 grant funding the current band-aid solution instead of putting the money and planning towards permanent housing; or at the least, a permanent fully-equipped mobile home park.
It is further unclear how participants are selected. Given that the program parking hours are already set at 7:30pm to 7:30am, this excludes residents with conflicting work schedules who may need a safe place to park and live outside of the set hours.
It is also clear that the first 10 spots will be prioritized for students, seemingly college students. I question what is the role of the college campuses in ensuring financial aid is available and commensurate with the cost of living, that student employment opportunities abound, and that they partner with the City and County to address the homeless crisis?
What is clear is that the parking program will not include RVs. People living in RVs and cars is also visibly increasing with many grouping up to take over entire streets and sidewalks in efforts to create a safe community and collective effort. This creates great risk to safety, health, and the environment. The City provides no other options. Furthermore, many more will not seek this resource and/or will be denied due to the conduct policy requiring no consumption of drugs and alcohol.
If we look to neighboring cities within Alameda County such as San Leandro, the City has dedicated RV parks that serve its residents. In 2016, to avoid impending rent increases, Oakland non-profit Rebuilding Together committed $150,000.00 which mobile home residents can apply for. At San Leandro's Trailer Haven, mobile residents are given access to power, restrooms, showers, laundry, dumping and disposal, and internet. Trailer Haven is one of nine RV parks and was permitted to lease 160 mobile homes and 34 RV spaces in 2016. Others such as San Leandro Mobile Home & RV Park LP offered discounts on eligible mobile homeowners and the City encouraged even larger discounts for its residents.
This is a glimpse into the results of gentrification and hypercapitalism at work in the housing industry. Many residents can afford to own and maintain their vehicles and do so to commute to and from employment. Despite these traditional markers of stability and class, there simply is not enough affordable (or even reasonable market price) housing available. Thus, residents find themselves in the conundrum of being homeless while gainfully employed (often in multiple jobs) and owning property including a vehicle.
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