San Francisco's Mayor Daniel Lurie, in conjunction with city supervisors and various departments, has introduced legislation to address vehicular homelessness while reclaiming public spaces for community use. The plan is part of Mayor Lurie's "Breaking the Cycle" initiative. It proposes a 24/7 citywide two-hour parking restriction for large vehicles, with interim or permanent housing offers for those experiencing vehicular homelessness.
Backing this initiative, the mayor has proposed injecting $13 million into the budget over two years to fund rapid rehousing subsidies, a vehicle buyback program, and enforcement resources. The directive also features a short-term permit system to accommodate those actively engaging in services leading to permanent housing solutions. "No child should grow up in San Francisco forced to live in a car, and no parent should have to raise their child in those conditions," Mayor Lurie stated, per the City and County of San Francisco. "Under my administration, we are going to give families better options, and we are going to give our communities and small businesses safe and clean streets."
This comprehensive plan includes creating specialized outreach teams to work with people living in large vehicles, and it aims to build on the city’s integrated neighborhood-based model for street outreach. As the San Francisco Mayor's office acknowledged, a recent Healthy Streets Operation Center effort identified 501 large vehicles parked on city streets, of which 437 were being used for dwelling.
In terms of enforcement, the city plans to apply parking restrictions with the cooperation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) as needed. Julie Kirschbaum, MTA Director of Transportation, emphasized the collective effort, saying, per the City and County of San Francisco, "By working together, we can support individuals and families living in vehicles while also ensuring our streets are safe, accessible, and functional for all San Franciscans." SFMTA is set to introduce companion legislation soon, contingent upon the Board of Supervisor's passage of the current plan.
