City of San Leandro
Safe Parking Program
Update
Rules Committee
February 26, 2025
Human Services Director
Jessica Lobedan 1
Presentation Agenda
Background
RV Safe Parking
Vehicular Safe Parking
Options for Moving Forward
Discussion and Next Steps
2 Background
May 2023: City Council Priority Workplan: Housing & Homelessness 3 Year Total Unsheltered
Population
Estimated
Households
Living in
Vehicles/RVs
% of Unsheltered
Population Living
in Vehicles/RVs
San Leandro 2022 312 86 28%
San Leandro 2024 228 68 30%
Alameda County 2022 7,135 3,924 55%
Alameda County 2024 6,343 3,426 54%
Work to Date
• Inventory of available City of San Leandro property
• Conversations with faith-based partners
• Initial exploration of commercial property
• Request for Interest for provider of RV Safe Parking Micro Pilot (10 RVs)
4 RV Safe
Parking
5 RV Safe Parking: Typical
Program Overview
Purpose: Provide designated, secure locations for
individuals or families living in RVs
Features: • Overnight and extended parking options • Access to amenities like restrooms, waste disposal, and clean water
• Safety and community health focus
Support Services: • Case management and connection to housing resources
• Assistance with transitioning to stable housing
6 RV Safe Parking: Typical Programs Goals
Program Participants
• Provide a safe, secure location to park overnight or long-term • Ensure access to essential amenities like restrooms, waste disposal, and water
• Offer support services such as case management and housing navigation • Facilitate the transition from vehicle living to stable, permanent housing Broader Community
• Enhance community safety and public health
• Promote compassionate, organized responses to homelessness 7 RV Safe Parking: Local Models
City Spaces
Available Location Type Services/Amenities Hours Annual Operating Cost Mountain View
Pop.: 82K
Homeless: 346
Veh. Homeless: NA
46 OVs, 23
vehicles
Converted public
parking lot
Case management,
restrooms, water,
wash stations, other
basic services,
security
24/7
~$1.2M
30 OVs, 21 flex
spaces
Converted public
parking lot 24/7
East Palo Alto
Pop.: 30K
Homeless: 169
Veh. Homeless: NA 20 OVs
Vacant lot, deed
restriction for
government use
Portable showers,
restrooms and
laundry services 7pm – 7am $318K
Santa Rosa
Pop.: 176K
Homeless: 1,1160
Veh. Homeless: NA
52 spaces (both
OVs and vehicle)
Converted public
parking lot
Basic services such
as food, sanitation,
and shower
facilities, wraparound services 24/7 $1.27M
8 RV Safe Parking: Potential Challenges
Site Availability: RV Safe Parking requires a larger physical space • Whereas vehicles range from 14 – 22 feet long and up to 8 feet high, RVs can be anywhere between 18-40 feet long and 12 feet high
• Requires a relatively flat space (no hills)
• Ideally the site would have access to utilities such as electrical hookups, water access, sewage or Dump station
Funding Limitations: One-time and ongoing funding
• Implementing and sustaining this program requires significant financial resources, including onetime and ongoing operational needs Partner interest/capacity: Nonprofits at capacity
• Staff issued RFI in November 2023 to seven partner agencies in the community and only one agency expressed interest
• Nonprofits have been expressing capacity challenges
9 RV Safe Parking: Potential Challenges Cont’d
Community Impact
• If San Leandro opens an RV Safe Parking program, it will be the only city in Alameda County, outside of Oakland, to operate such a program
• RV Safe Parking serves a transitory population and may attract individuals seeking this service
Operational and Participant Considerations:
• RVs serve as “mobile homes” and often hold a significant amount of personal belongings, making monitoring and oversight challenging • Some participants may be reluctant to relinquish their RVs when offered housing, which can complicate their transition to stable housing solutions • A common challenge when working with RVs is the lack of proper licensing, registration, insurance, as well as the vehicle’s ability to drive 10 Vehicular
Safe Parking
11 Vehicular Safe Parking:
Typical Program Overview
Purpose:
• Provide designated, secure locations for individuals or families living in passenger vehicles
Features:
• Overnight parking
• Access to amenities such as restrooms, waste disposal, and clean water
• Focus on safety and community health
Support Services:
• Case management and connection to housing resources
• Assistance with transitioning to stable housing
12 Vehicular Safe Parking: Program Goals
Program Participants:
• Provide a safe, secure location to park overnight or long-term • Ensure access to essential amenities like restrooms, waste disposal, and water
• Offer support services such as case management and housing navigation • Facilitate the transition from vehicle living to stable, permanent housing Broader Community:
• Enhance community safety and public health
• Promote compassionate, organized responses to homelessness 13 Vehicular Safe Parking: Local Models
City Spaces Available Location Hours Amenities Annual Operating Cost
Alameda County
Pop.: 1.622M
Homeless: 6,343
Veh. Homeless: 3,426
Not available Static
County 24/7
Security
Charging Station
Housing Support
Medical Care
Food Access
Restrooms
~$150,000 annually
City of Alameda
Pop.: 75K
Homeless: 300
Veh. Homeless: 192
30 passenger vehicles Static
Nonprofit
7 days/week
7pm – 7am
Restrooms
Support services
Breakfast
$1.08M annually for
combination safe
parking, day center,
overnight shelter
First Presbyterian
Church of Castro
Valley
10 passenger vehicles Static 7days/week
6pm – 6am
Medical screening
Restrooms
Computer lab
Showers & Laundry
Case management
~$6,000 for Porta Potty
*All other costs lumped
into onsite shelter
14 Vehicular Safe Parking: Local Models
City Spaces Available Location Hours Amenities Annual Operating Cost
Fremont
Pop.: 226K
Homeless: 612
Veh. Homeless: 379
15 passenger vehicles Rotates monthly
Faith-based
Varies nightly, most
sites provide overnight
hours only
Meals
Fuel assistance
Restrooms
$80K annually
Union City
Pop.: 65K
Homeless: 191
Veh. Homeless: NA
40 passenger vehicles
Rotates nightly
Faith based and
community centers
7 days/week
8pm – 7am
Restrooms
Case management $164,333 annually
15 Vehicular Safe Parking: Potential Challenges
Site Availability:
• Limited availability of City-owned parking lots or facilities Funding Limitations:
• Significant financial resources are required for implementation and sustainability, including both one-time and ongoing operational needs.
Partner interest/capacity: Nonprofits at capacity
• Staff issued RFI in November 2023 to seven partner agencies in the community and only one agency expressed interest
• Nonprofits have been expressing capacity challenges
Community Impact
• Safe Parking serves a highly transitory population and may attract individuals seeking this service
16 Options
for Moving
Forward 17
Option 1:
Safe Parking at
the San Leandro
Marina
Term limited
18 Option 1:
Safe Parking at the San Leandro Marina
19 Potential Benefits
• Physical space required for vehicle
and/or RV Safe Parking
• No cost for land
Considerations
• Funding: Initial capital expenditures,
ongoing operational funding
• Community Impacts: Public open
space, economic development impacts
• Operational Logistics: facilities
• Regulatory limitations: currently
unknown
Option 2:
Faith-Based
Partner Roster
• Typically a lower cost option
Potential Benefits
• Funding: Ongoing operational
funding, up-front capital funding
• Community Impacts: To be
determined
• Operational logistics: Sites would
need appropriate physical layout and
facility setup
Considerations
20 Option 3:
Commercial
Property
Acquisition for
Safe Parking
Use
(Nimitz Motel Model)
• Could seek site with appropriate physical
space requirements
Potential Benefits
• Funding: One-time acquisition ad
renovation/lease expenses, ongoing
operational funding
• Community Impacts: To be determined
• Operational logistics: To be determined
Considerations
21 Vacant Industrial Properties for Sale (October 2024) 22 ADDRESS SQUARE FOOTAGE COST
14595 E 14th St, San Leandro, CA 94578 9,700 $1,795,000 2483-2495 Washington Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577 45,040 $1,790,060 14333 Wicks Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94577 25,384 $5,500,000 470-476 Whitney St, San Leandro, CA 94577 10,000 $3,133,000 303-325 W Joaquin Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,622 $3,580,000 14820-14826 Wicks Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,208 $3,600,000 3188 Alvarado St, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,484 $4,250,000 Average cost per square foot: $229
Average total cost: $3.4M
Non-Industrial Properties for Sale – October
2024
ADDRESS SQUARE FOOTAGE COST
303-325 W Joaquin Ave, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,622 $3,580,000 14820-14826 Wicks Blvd, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,208 $3,600,000 3188 Alvarado St, San Leandro, CA 94577 13,484 $4,250,000 23 Average cost per square foot: $284
Average total cost: $3.8M
Option 3a:
Commercial
Property
Acquisition for
Shelter, Interim
Housing, or
Permanent
Housing – Serving
Veh. Homeless
Population
(Nimitz Motel Model)
• Could seek site with appropriate physical
space requirements that focuses on the
community need with an alternate
solution
Potential Benefits
• Funding: One-time acquisition ad
renovation/lease expenses, ongoing
operational funding
• Community Impacts: To be determined
• Operational logistics: To be determined
Considerations
24 Option 5:
Collective
Advocacy for
Alameda County to
Lead
• Community need being met
Potential Benefits
• Funding: To be determined
• Community Acceptance: To be
determined
• Operational Logistics: No local
control, unknown local benefit
Considerations
25 Discussion
and Next
Steps
26 Questions for Committee Direction
• Vehicle or RV parking?
• What option(s) would the Committee like staff to continue exploring?
• Are any options off the table?
• Did staff miss anything?
27