Our mission is simple, we want to provide safe parking options for people experiencing homelessness in their vehicles. In Los Angeles County, there are over 15,700 persons living in 9100 vehicles (cars, vans, campers, and R.V.s) each night, per the L.A. County Homeless Count performed in January 2018. These vehicle dwellers represent over 25% of the population of people experiencing homelessness in LA County.
Founded in 2016, Safe Parking LA is a coordinating organization for the community which assists homeless families and individuals living in their vehicles. We support the implementation of “Safe Parking Lots”, which provide individuals a safe place to park each night, restroom access, a security guard, and social service resources.
Jewish Family Service: Safe Parking Program
www.jfssd.org/our-services/adults-families/safe-parking-program/
The Safe Parking Program provides a welcoming environment, meaningful resources and tools, and dignified support to help families stabilize and transition back into permanent housing. With holistic services focused on basic needs assistance, employment, family wellness, school success, financial education, credit repair, and housing, our goal is to create a pathway out of homelessness while being a support to people where they are now.

Example Guidelines From a Program:

Source: www.mountainview.gov/depts/comdev/preservation/safe_parking_program.asp

Qualified Safe Parking Programs generally include, but are not limited to, the following procedures and processes:

• Provide Safe Parking on privately owned property from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 a.m.
• Provide an available portable restrooms with a hand-wash station and fire prevention measures.
• Subcontract with a social service agency to interview applicants, recommend clients based on program participation preferences and provide case management services to get back on the path to supportive permanent housing.
• Comply with all safety regulations and other program provisions.
• Provide lot monitors who perform check in and out procedures and ensure all clients observe program guidelines.
• Comply with City ordinances, including client priority and preferences, maintaining a wait list, land-use requirements, public safety procedures, etc.
• Provide limited liability coverage.

Top 10 Facts and FAQs

1.Safe Parking programs offer stability for homeless individuals and families living in a vehicle in the form of a reliable transition space and services for participants as they work through challenging times and make the changes needed to move toward being rehoused and, where applicable, reemployed. A structure is not offered, but stability is, and data on existing programs show participant appreciation of having a safe, consistent place to sleep makes complying with program rules easy.

2.Safe Parking is not for transient workers or professionals who choose “living in their cars to save money.”

3.Safe Parking Programs are similar to traditional sheltering which offers supportive services to participants and meet safety standards. There is no structure. Safe Parking ensures participants served are safe, and the impacts on the host property and surrounding neighborhood are limited.

4.Safe Parking Programs are a relatively new policy approach in response to the housing crisis. They are being implemented in a-number of places around the County and State but are mostly modest in scale to date. Further, Mountain View City-lot programs focused on RV guests are newer still.

5.Safe Parking Programs show approximately 30-50% of participants (data mostly on passenger cars) are able to obtain interim or permanent housing as their next step after Safe Parking. While the data is still limited due to how new the programs are, this early evidence from Santa Clara County shows promise.

6.Safe Parking can currently host up to 101 parking space participants (up to 68 oversized vehicles and 33 passenger vehicles) has been committed by the City. While there is no funding to pay or lease lot owners for their parking lots at this time, the City is committed to streamlining the process and keeping it as inexpensive and easy as possible for lot owners to contribute to this urgent humanitarian need, while remaining safe and compliant with state and local regulations.

7.Safe Parking Operator staff will be available to address any concerns. The local non-profit MOVE, operates the Lots of Love – Safe parking Program and can be reached at (650) 861-0181 or contact@movemv.org (to report non-urgent, non-threatening situations).

8.Homeless Services Case Managers from the Community Services Agency (CSA) at: CSACares.org or (650) 968-0836. will help clients navigate job and housing searches and transportation.

9.Safe Parking participants will be referred only when there is parking space, so that they know they have a stable place to stay. Interested applicants may not just drive to the location and park. To be respectful to our neighbors, no loitering will be allowed outside the gated Safe Parking Program area, and no smoking will be allowed in public areas.

10.Additional Ways to Help: Safe Parking helpers are needed. For those wanting to help, there will be opportunities for community members who wish to volunteer. Donations are also needed to help participants, including: vehicle repair, routine RV maintenance, gas cards, vehicles insurance, driver’s license fees, food pantry items, hygiene products; blankets, winter coats, socks, pet-veterinarian support, and toilet paper are always needed. All donations should be made through the CSA (See #8 for contact information).