A Los Angeles City Council committee was set to hear reports and weigh a draft ordinance cracking down on so-called van lords Tuesday, but the discussion was pushed to a future meeting at the request of the panel's chair. The proposal would expand city law to specifically target people who illegally rent out recreational vehicles parked on public streets to residents experiencing homelessness, with civil penalties reaching as high as $1,000 per day.
The Homelessness and Health Committee, a five-member panel chaired by Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, had been scheduled to hear updates from city officials and consider the draft ordinance, according to MyNewsLA.com. Jurado requested the matter be continued to a later date, per the outlet's reporting. The draft ordinance would amend Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 80.73.1, which currently prohibits reserving a street, parking space or other public area for business activities involving new and used vehicles but does not specifically address recreational vehicles.
Under the proposed changes, outlined in documents filed with the Los Angeles City Clerk, the amendment would add recreational vehicles to the list of vehicles an operator is prohibited from renting, leasing, or selling in the public right-of-way. The draft ordinance would also define what counts as a recreational vehicle, specify unlawful uses, and require RV lessors to follow applicable state health-and-safety and vehicle codes, per the same city filing.
Escalating Fines Tied to Repeat Violations
The proposed ordinance text lays out a tiered civil penalty structure: $500 for a first violation, $750 for a second violation within 12 months, and $1,000 for a third or subsequent violation within that same window, according to the city filing. Each day an operator commits, continues, or permits a violation would count as a separate offense, meaning penalties could compound quickly for operators who don't stop.
The push to cover RVs under the existing ordinance dates back to a 2023 motion filed with the city clerk, which asked the City Attorney to propose adding RV rentals and other RV business dispositions to the activities already barred under Section 80.73.1. That motion was presented by Councilwoman Traci Park of the 11th District, the filing shows. In September 2025, the full City Council voted 13-0 to adopt a Public Works Committee report recommending the RV amendment move forward, as reported by the Santa Monica Daily Press — though that vote adopted a committee recommendation rather than enacting the ordinance itself.
LAPD Flags Enforcement Hurdles
Alongside the committee report, the City Council directed the LAPD and other relevant city departments to develop enforcement stages, outreach coordination, and victim-protection measures, according to MyNewsLA.com's reporting. An LAPD report issued in February found that enforcement against van lords presents unique and significant challenges, the outlet reports.
Municipal code requires officers to establish proof of a rental or lease arrangement, which may include written or digital contracts, payment records, keys, or other physical evidence of access, per the same account. But people exploited in unlawful RV rentals often lack formal documentation, leaving officers to rely primarily on victim statements in many cases. LAPD also described linking suspects to the vehicles they rent as a resource-intensive challenge, the report notes.
Compounding the enforcement problem, people living in unlawfully rented RVs may fear retaliation, distrust law enforcement, or worry about losing their only shelter if they come forward, according to the LAPD findings cited in the report. In response, LAPD officials recommended outreach through community meetings and online platforms, aiming to help potential victims understand their legal protections and available support resources. When the committee reconvenes, it is expected to hear LAPD and other city officials discuss enforcement data.
A Growing Population Living in RVs
The push for tighter rules comes against a backdrop of rising RV homelessness citywide. A 2022 count cited in the city clerk's filing found nearly 6,500 people experiencing homelessness in about 4,000 RVs across Los Angeles, representing 22% of the city's unsheltered population — a 40% increase since 2018, according to the Los Angeles City Clerk. A separate, broader figure reported by LA Public Press put the countywide nightly homeless population at more than 75,000, including around 6,800 people living in RVs — though that figure covers all of Los Angeles County rather than just the city.
The city's proposal isn't happening in isolation. Los Angeles County supervisors voted on Oct. 14, 2023, to explore their own code changes that could prohibit selling, leasing, or renting recreational or oversized vehicles in the public right-of-way, LA Public Press reported, a separate and still-exploratory county action distinct from the city ordinance. State lawmakers have also acted on a related front: AB 647 gives public agencies within Los Angeles County, including the city itself, authority to dispose of qualifying abandoned RVs valued at $4,000 or less rather than reselling them, according to CityWatch.
