Homeless RV dwellers get a temporary reprieve, while the San Francisco neighborhood homeowners think the city has handed them a raw deal, reports KPIX.
The San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA) earlier this month declined to ban overnight RV parking on De Wolf St. – a one-block-long street between Alemany Blvd. and Interstate 280 situated under the BART tracks and which runs behind a number of duplex homes.
“There is already trash dumping going on … mattresses, crap … there are all kinds of extra furniture out on the street. It’s just horrible,” said neighbor Barbara Fugate. “There’s also a lot of food dumped, so we get rats.”
It’s a problem that the residents of this working-class neighborhood in the Outer Mission will likely have to live with for some time because while there are 61 overnight parking bans already in the city, the SFMTA has put the brakes on issuing any more.
SFMTA Director Gwyneth Borden says the city needs to come up with designated parking places – like church parking lots – for the RVs.
“The bottom line is every time we pass one of these bans, then the traffic just moves to another street,” said Borden.
But after three years of talking, Borden says no one over at City Hall has made a move.
Is it fair to the residents? “No. I mean, that’s why the elected officials – they make the big bucks – need to come up with solutions,” said Borden. “Do we want people in their cars or do we want them laying in front of your doorstep?”
San Francisco Supervisor Asha Safai represents the area, says he can make suggestions, but that it’s up to the SFMTA to decide where RVs can and cannot park – and that they have turned a deaf ear to the residents.
Do you think this would be happening if it were in Pacific Heights or Nob Hill? “Absolutely not,” said Safai. “There is no way an entire block in Pacific Heights would be taken up with RVs. It would not happen.”
Borden disputed that assertion. “I have the same position no matter what neighborhood,” she said.
“We don’t get the attention from City Hall that other parts of the city get, for sure,” said Fugate. “But also we don’t scream very loud. We need to scream louder, I think.”
It’s an issue that will continue to demand attention. While the city continues to grapple with homelessness and RVs citywide, it’s the locals that are feeling the brunt of the problem.
The home owners need to not pay the taxes on their homes, and put the money on towards keeping the streets clean.
San Fran is supposed to be a sanctuary city. This is part of what they get
Hey Joey,
Tell it like it is my man. Rock on, and good luck to you.
I live in one of these RV’S on De wolf st. And just for the record, I don’t blame residents and home owners for the way they feel. Most rv’ers are either crazy, on drugs, lazy pigs…. I work everyday and admit choosing to do the “rv thing” was the dumbest mistake of my life. Every day before and after work I sweep and clean up other people’s trash and waste. It’s degrading but also therapeutic in a way. Myself and three other rv’ers were hand picked by SFPD to stay here, because we’re not “lazy scumbag drug dealing criminals”. The area’s cleaner and the crime rates down, there’s even less “RAT’S” thanks to an owl that moved in, so I can’t take credit for that… lol. I’m saving money and selling this nightmare beast of burden and getting back to electricity, cable tv, the sweet sound of a flushing toilet and hot showers after work. Thanks! Joey
Thanks for posting and good luck to you in the future. !!