LA Approves New Safe Parking Pilot

The Los Angeles City Council approved $50,000 for a new Safe Parking pilot program in the West San Fernando Valley. The program will allow unhoused people living in recreational vehicles to securely park and access services at a designated site.

According to an article by Rebekah Ludman for The Los Angeles Post, Los Angeles legalized living in vehicles in 2014, when the homelessness crisis made living in cars the only option for many. Since then, Safe Parking L.A. has been working to provide safe parking sites around the city. “The city developed a Safe Parking Pilot Program in 2016 as part of its strategy to address homelessness across L.A. This later became an approach for interim housing. Safe Parking L.A. operates in the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, downtown L.A., and West L.A.”

The program offers outreach services and case management for residents. “The funding will also be used to give financial assistance for people using the services to pay for driver’s license fees, vehicle registration and renewal, any auto-related repairs, smog checks, and more.”