GLIDE and the End Poverty Tows Coalition (EPT) have been working with RV and vehicle residents for years to advocate for solutions like safe parking sites and housing. GLIDE believes that the most effective and compassionate approach is to support people living in vehicles to access the resources that they need to thrive, including housing and services. Restrictions that increase the likelihood that a vehicle is towed can cause deep crisis and instability for a household – ultimately resulting in street homelessness for many. 

In June, the City of San Francisco introduced legislation for a citywide, 24/7, two-hour limit on RV parking. This approach is being paired with a permit program and limited access to housing, but it will likely result in many RVs being towed. This means that many families and individuals will lose their home, their only means of transportation, and all their belongings. 

On June 17, the MTA Board voted to establish a permit program for large vehicles that will protect some vehicles for up to a year from the 2-hour parking restrictions

GLIDE’s Public Policy Director, Eleana Binder, giving public comment at the Board of Supervisors Budget & Finance Committee hearing on this legislation.

On July 22, the Board of Supervisors passed the two-hour parking restrictions. GLIDE and EPT were able to pass some amendments to improve the permit program and increase protections, although the restrictions remained intact and will be very harmful as there is not enough housing to house all RV residents.  

GLIDE’s Center for Social Justice spoke with the media (KQED, the SF Examiner, and Univision) to raise awareness and worked directly with RV residents so that their concerns could be heard. We supported public comment at Board hearings and organized meetings with SFMTA Directors, Supervisors, and the Mayor’s Office. We continue to advocate against parking restrictions and for more access to housing and greater protections in the permit program.  

GLIDE is concerned about the lack of adequate affordable housing available to meet the needs of all the people in San Francisco experiencing homelessness, including the hundreds of households in RVs. The permit program is only designed to protect people from parking restrictions for 6 – 12 months. The City counted 437 occupied large vehicles in May 2025. This means that either all these households must be able to access housing or non-congregate shelter within a year, or many of them could be towed.  

We are also concerned about households not being able to access permits or losing permits over rule violations, which means they would be towed. Even with permits, RVs can still be towed over common issues like expired registration, a practice that targets poor people who cannot afford to renew their registration. We are advocating for people with permits not to be towed for expired registration

Eleana Binder
Director of Public Policy
GLIDE Center for Social Justice