Amid increasing tensions over the presence of RVs in residential areas, Palo Alto city leaders have voted to introduce a ban on what has been dubbed "vanlording," the practice of renting RVs as living spaces on public streets. As reported by NBC Bay Area, the new ordinance prohibits the rental of RVs that are parked on city streets, in an effort to address unregulated conditions that may be unfit for habitation. The new regulations include fines of up to $500 per violation, and RVs can be towed if parked for longer than 72 hours.
The decision has sparked concerns among some city council members, particularly Julie Lythcott-Haims who voted against the move; she fears the repercussions for those who, pushed by necessity, have turned to RVs for shelter because traditional housing remains out of reach, "I want you to know that there aren’t enough tow lots in the area to accommodate RVs on our streets," Lythcott-Haims said, per NBC Bay Area, "These are peoples’ homes, and when you take them, the city has to keep them in a lot for a month before turning them over to salvage. I wonder where we think RV dwellers should go. The RV dwellers I know have jobs, they provide services."
Details of the ordinance and the council's vote were also discussed in an article by the Palo Alto Daily Post, which confirmed the 6-1 vote on two ordinances aimed at curbing the use of RVs as rental units and the presence of unattached trailers on city streets. Furthermore, the city is planning extensive signage to inform the public about the new ordinance, which is expected to cost around $4 million. Enforcement is likely to intensify once the notice period is completed.
Despite the council's action, Lythcott-Haims points to the larger issue of inadequate infrastructure for safe RV parking; she is pressing for more substantial solutions to accommodate the needs of those displaced by this ban, "she gets the outrage over the increase in RVs in town," per the Palo Alto Daily Post, "she’s concerned about the lack of progress in figuring out where RV dwellers ought to go. Many who Lythcott-Haims has spoken to work in town and nearby, but can’t afford rent, so they live in RVs. She wants to see an increase in lots for RVs, which she said is the greater challenge in dealing with the RVs on the streets."
In addition to the ban, the city has partnered with LifeMoves, a local nonprofit, to inform people living in RVs about the upcoming 200-bed HomeKey shelter, scheduled to open in early 2026, and other community resources. This outreach is part of a more comprehensive approach adopted by the city council, which includes exploring locations for safe RV parking and sanitation services as well as enforcing existing ordinances within Palo Alto, where approximately 73% of the homeless population, as per a January survey by Santa Clara County, are living out of their vehicles.
