In a move stirring up tensions in Bernal Heights, San Francisco officials are determined to displace a growing enclave of RV dwellers by reinforcing a 27-year-old ban on overnight parking. This crackdown comes amidst several neighborhood complaints about increased unsafe and unsanitary conditions along Bernal Heights Boulevard. SFist reports that enforcement of the parking ban, long neglected by the city, is set to commence on March 28.

Authorities are offering the affected individuals spots at the Candlestick Point RV triage center, equipped with facilities. Having been parked on the street for years, some residents, like the RV dweller Armando Bravo Martinez, feel that moving there would be akin to living in a "refugee camp". "You feel like you’re being forced into a refugee camp," Martinez told the Chronicle. However, not all see the triage center as an unwelcome option. Mayor London Breed's spokesperson, Jeff Cretan, pointed out that "A lot of [Bernal RV folks] aren’t interested," as they don't consider themselves homeless.

For people like Zuleima Bolio and her husband, the RV represents more than just a vehicle – it's a home they turned to after being priced out of San Francisco's sky-high rental market. "We have some puppies, and the place we were renting wanted a lot of money for them. So, we saw it would be a little better to move here instead of paying almost $3,000 for the two of us and the three puppies," Bolio explained to CBS News San Francisco. Relocation now looms over them, with the enforcement deadline fast approaching.

Community response is mixed, torn between support for the city's efforts to reclaim public space and concern for the individuals about to be displaced. "Many people are in favor, and others are against," shared Nelly Caceres, a long-time worker in the area, emphasizing that some are supportive towards the RV residents while others look forward to the enforcement of the parking ban, CBS News San Francisco reports. Persistent issues like illegal dumping and lack of sanitation remain a contentious backdrop for these imminent changes.

Facing an uncertain future, Bolio seeks understanding from the community. "If at any point we bother them, they can simply tell us, and we'll see what to do because, in the end, we're all people, and we're in this together," she told CBS News San Francisco.