DATE: December 12, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Manager
SUBJECT Response to Council Referral: RV Parking
BACKGROUND
On November 14, 2023, Council Members Goldstein and Roche submitted a Council Referral Memorandum regarding Recreational Vehicle (RV) parking in Hayward. Their memo makes the following requests for staff analysis:
In conjunction with the Safe Parking staff report already in development, add RVs Identify places where live-aboard RV parking is currently allowed and the cost to use it, and propose additional locations where it may be permitted Identify costs and potential funding sources
Propose a Traffic Code change to have the option to restrict RV parking on public streets Present the project proposal to the City Council for adoption on the timeframe already committed or within 60 days thereafter There is clearly a need for additional research and resources to be dedicated to this issue. Point-in-Time (PIT) Count data from 2022 shows that 14% of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness were living in their car and another 14% were living in a RV at the time of the count. In Alameda County as a whole, those numbers are even higher with 32% living in their car and 22% living in an RV.
This memo provides staff analysis in response to the above requests. While each request is addressed individually below, staff does not recommend making any changes to the Traffic Code related to RV parking without having a safe parking program available as an alternative.
DISCUSSION
1. In conjunction with the Safe Parking staff report already in development, add RVs There is currently no ongoing staff report in development related to safe parking in the City of Hayward. In 2021, staff contracted with a consultant to provide an initial assessment of considerations for a safe parking program, which was produced with the goal of setting the City up to create a successful RFP for a contractor to operate a safe parking program (Attachment III). Exploring a safe parking pilot program is an activity in the Let’s House Hayward Strategic Plan (Activity 2.2b), the Housing Element (HE Action 19.11), and the FY24-25+ Strategic Roadmap.
Importantly, staff provided Council with additional context when they adopted the FY24-25+ Strategic Roadmap indicating that staff would only be looking at locations and potential grant funding in FY24 due to competing priorities. Those competing priorities will continue to exist into next fiscal year and, without additional funding to increase staffing, the Community Services Division is unable to pursue an additional project such as safe parking at this time. Additionally, any changes to the Traffic Code would require delays on other Development Services priority projects and additional staffing resources to enforce.
2. Identify places where live-aboard RV parking is currently allowed and the cost to use it, and propose additional locations where it may be permitted.
While there are many mobile home parks in Alameda County, there are limited RV parks and many do not allow for long-term stays. The costs of living in a RV park range significantly, but expenses include the cost of renting the space, gas, RV maintenance, and RV insurance. Staff do not recommend opening a City-run RV park.
Staff are currently evaluating City-owned land that may be appropriate for a safe parking site, which is described further in the next section.
3. Identify costs and potential funding sources
As discussed in Attachment III, any safe parking program that includes RVs should include the following features:
Security staff and infrastructure (e.g., lockable site with fencing) Hygiene facilities (e.g., portable toilets, hand washing) Housing navigation services
Shower and laundry facilities (either on-site or through outside service providers) Meal services
Site and vehicle maintenance resources
Through initial review of other existing safe parking programs, staff anticipates that the annual cost to operate a program on City-owned land with 10 to 15 RV parking spots would range from $700,000 to $1,000,000 per year. This does not include start-up costs, which would be dependent on the site but would include necessary preparation costs such as utility hook-ups.
4. Propose a Traffic Code change to have the option to restrict RV parking on public streets Staff are currently still evaluating options for amending the City’s Traffic Code. The City Attorney’s Office is analyzing the feasibility of restricting RV parking and is evaluating the following options for amending the code:
Time-based restriction on RV use on public streets, such as restriction of overnight or extended parking (i.e., in excess of 72 consecutive hours) Restrictions based on conditions of a given street, such as width, specific amenities such as bike lanes, or proximity to specific locations Designated public City streets where parking is allowed, such as in the Industrial area
5. Present the project proposal to the City Council for adoption on the timeframe already committed or within 60 days thereafter As included in the FY24-25+ Strategic Roadmap item adopted by Council in June 2023, staff do not have the resources or capacity to pursue a safe parking program at this time. This project would require extensive staff work from multiple departments, including the City Manager’s Office, Maintenance Services, Public Works and Utilities, and the City Attorney’s Office. Changes to the Traffic Code and corresponding enforcement would also require significant staff resources from Development Services and the Hayward Police Department.
Staff do not recommend amending the City’s Traffic Code to limit RV parking without a corresponding safe parking program to provide an alternative for those currently parking on City streets. Additional Council direction is required for staff to prepare a FY 2025 budget request to address RV parking in Hayward.
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to monitor potential grant funding opportunities to support a safe parking program. If Council provides direction to prepare a budget request for FY 2025, staff will prepare options for funding a safe parking program and staffing to ensure teams have the capacity to implement the program along with any corresponding changes to City code.
Prepared by: Amy Cole-Bloom, Community Services Manager Recommended by: Regina Youngblood, Assistant City Manager Approved by:
_______________________________________
Kelly McAdoo, City Manager