LA’s War on RVs: City Council Cracks Down on Homeless Encampments, But At What Cost?
The Clash Over Curbside Living
On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council made a controversial move, greenlighting the towing of illegally parked vehicles, including the RVs that have become makeshift homes for many of the city’s homeless residents. The decision, which gives city workers more power to immediately remove these vehicles, has sparked a heated debate over public safety, housing rights, and the limits of compassion in a city grappling with a homelessness crisis. But beyond the immediate impact on the city’s streets, there’s a bigger question on the minds of homeowners: How will this crackdown affect property values in LA’s most sought-after neighborhoods?
The council’s vote comes as officials struggle to regain control over the growing RV encampments that have sprung up across LA since a pandemic-era moratorium on towing was lifted two years ago. Before Friday’s vote, traffic officers were required to go through a lengthy process to determine if the vehicles were occupied, and if so, to offer housing services before towing. But with the new policy, that process just got a lot shorter—and a lot more contentious.
Public Safety vs. Human Dignity (and Property Values)
Councilmember John Lee, who pushed for stricter enforcement of camping laws, argued that the city needs to take a tougher stance. “This measure puts our city back to where we need to be,” Lee said, framing the crackdown as a return to law and order. But not everyone on the council is convinced that towing RVs is the right approach, especially when it comes to the potential impact on LA’s real estate market.
Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, Nithya Raman, and Hugo Soto-Martinez were among the three who voted against the measure. Their opposition highlights a growing divide within the council over how to address homelessness in LA—a divide that reflects broader tensions in the city over how to balance public safety with human dignity, and now, the economic implications for homeowners.
“It essentially says that all of the other policies developed by the City Administrative Officer… are going to be moot,” said Raman, who has been a vocal advocate for more compassionate approaches to homelessness. Raman warned that the new policy could undermine efforts to address RV homelessness through buyback programs and other initiatives designed to get people off the streets without resorting to force. She also pointed out that indiscriminate towing could lead to further displacement, potentially destabilizing property values in neighborhoods where RV encampments are most prevalent.
A Flawed Enforcement Plan?
The policy, which passed with an 11-3 vote, doesn’t change the city’s parking rules—it just enforces the ones already on the books. Under the new rules, traffic officers can tow vehicles that pose an “immediate public safety hazard,” are parked in peak-hour lanes, or are in no-parking zones without a permit. But critics say the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) isn’t equipped to handle the increased enforcement, which could lead to inconsistent application of the rules—further complicating the housing market.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who represents the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley, voiced doubts about how the policy will be implemented. “I had to personally call the Department of Transportation to come out into enforcement areas,” she said, adding that the department’s response has been inconsistent, depending on the neighborhood. This inconsistency could exacerbate disparities in home values, with some neighborhoods benefiting from the removal of RVs while others continue to struggle with encampments.
Hernandez echoed these concerns, pointing out that the DOT is already stretched thin. “We didn’t give them any extra resources for enforcement,” she said. “If a significant number of these vehicles are RVs, we don’t have enough garage space to tow them all.”
The numbers back her up. According to the LA Homeless Services Authority, nearly 6,900 RVs were counted in the city as of 2024. For many of their occupants, an RV isn’t just a vehicle—it’s their home. And not all of them consider themselves homeless or are willing to move into restrictive shelters, complicating the city’s efforts to address the issue. Homeowners in areas with high concentrations of RV encampments might find that property values stagnate or even decline if these vehicles aren’t swiftly and uniformly removed.
The Bigger Picture: Real Estate Ramifications
Proponents of the new policy argue that it’s about public safety, not just moving people off the streets. Peter Brown, a spokesperson for Councilmember Kevin de León, who proposed the measure, emphasized the risks that RVs pose to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. “The proliferation of RVs around the city comes with increased safety risks on our streets,” Brown said. “Safety on our streets is essential.”
But for those who opposed the policy, the move feels like a step backward in the city’s fight against homelessness—a fight that, for many, is as much about compassion as it is about enforcement. As the debate continues, one thing is clear: LA’s struggle to balance public safety with the rights of its most vulnerable residents is far from over. Meanwhile, the city’s real estate market could face turbulence as the effects of this policy ripple through different neighborhoods.
What’s Next for Homeowners?
With the new policy in place, the city is poised to begin more aggressive enforcement of parking laws. But as the council’s vote shows, there’s no consensus on whether this approach will solve the problem—or just push it out of sight, possibly driving down property values in the process. For homeowners and real estate investors, the question now is whether this crackdown will stabilize or destabilize neighborhoods—and what that means for the bottom line.
For young professionals watching this unfold from the comfort of their high-rise apartments, the question remains: What kind of city do we want to live in—a place that prioritizes safety at any cost, or one that finds a way to protect everyone, even the most vulnerable, while safeguarding property values?
This edited article adds a critical perspective on how the new towing policy could impact home values in Los Angeles, blending VICE’s edgy style with Alyssa Walker’s engaging narrative approach, and tailored for a high-income, socially aware audience.
